Competence and Coping in the Family Group Cognitive Behavioral (FGCB) Preventive Intervention: a Moderated Mediation...

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Developmental Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Parental depression elevates adolescent risk for internalizing and externalizing disorders.
• The Family Group Cognitive Behavioral (FGCB) intervention aims to mitigate this risk by improving youth coping.
• Identifying specific youth who benefit most from FGCB is crucial for optimizing prevention efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if baseline youth competence moderates the FGCB intervention's impact on coping skills.
• To determine if enhanced coping mediates reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms following FGCB.
• To identify characteristics of adolescents most responsive to the FGCB intervention.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 180 adolescents (ages 9-15) and parents with a history of depression.
• Participants were assigned to either the FGCB intervention or a control group.
• Moderated mediation analyses were used to examine the effects of competence, coping, and symptoms at 6- and 12-month follow-ups.

Main Results:

• The FGCB intervention significantly improved coping skills exclusively in adolescents with average to high baseline competence.
• Improved coping skills were associated with subsequent reductions in internalizing symptoms.
• Youth competence emerged as a significant moderator of intervention effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• Adolescent competence is a key factor influencing response to the FGCB intervention.
• Prevention programs may need to be tailored to leverage or enhance youth competence for maximum benefit.
• Targeted prevention strategies are essential for supporting at-risk youth exposed to parental depression.