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Examination of disruptive behavior outcomes and moderation in a randomized psychotherapy trial for mood disorders

Khrista Boylan1, Heather A Macpherson, Mary A Fristad

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. boylank@mcmaster.ca

Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
|June 27, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Multifamily psychoeducational psychotherapy (MF-PEP) helps children with mood disorders. This treatment also shows benefits for disruptive behaviors, without worsening mood symptoms, making it a valuable early intervention.

Area of Science:

  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  • Behavioral Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Multifamily psychoeducational psychotherapy (MF-PEP) is an established treatment for pediatric mood disorders.
  • High comorbidity exists between mood disorders and disruptive behaviors in children.
  • Understanding the impact of disruptive behaviors on treatment outcomes is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between disruptive behaviors and impairment in children with mood disorders.
  • To evaluate the effect of MF-PEP on disruptive behaviors in this population.
  • To determine if disruptive behaviors influence the treatment response of mood symptoms.

Main Methods:

  • Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial comparing MF-PEP to a waitlist control.
  • Included 165 children aged 8-11 with mood disorders and their parents.
  • Participants received treatment as usual alongside the trial interventions.

Main Results:

  • Greater disruptive behaviors correlated with increased mood symptom severity and impairment.
  • MF-PEP showed significant effect sizes for reducing symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder.
  • Baseline disruptive behavior severity did not impede mood symptom improvement with MF-PEP.

Conclusions:

  • MF-PEP effectively treats mood disorders in children and offers benefits for comorbid disruptive behaviors.
  • The findings support MF-PEP as an early intervention for children with combined mood and disruptive behavior disorders.
  • Further research on treatment sequencing for these complex cases is warranted.
Abstract

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