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July 02, 2008
Small study indicates psychotherapy may benefit depressed mothers of children with mental illnesses
MedWire (7/1, Davenport) reports, "Among depressed mothers with children receiving psychiatric treatment, interpersonal psychotherapy reduces symptoms and improves functioning, which precedes improvements in their children," according to a study published in the June 16 online edition of the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Holly Swartz, M.D., of Pennsylvania's Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, and colleagues, "randomly assigned 47 mothers with depression, whose school-age children were receiving psychiatric treatment, to receive interpersonal psychotherapy for depressed mothers (IPT-MOMS), or usual treatment." The "participants were assessed at baseline, and again after three and nine months of follow-up using a series of measures."
The researchers found during follow-up that "women treated with IPT-MOMS had significantly lower levels of depression...than women given usual treatment." In addition, "children of mothers assigned to receive IPT-MOMS had significantly lower levels of depression than those of mothers given usual care at nine-month follow-up." And, "[f]urther analysis revealed a significant interaction between percent change in maternal depression scores, and treatment assignment for Children's Depression Inventory scores."
Related Links:
- "Psychotherapy benefits depressed mothers of children with a mental illness," Liam Davenport, MedWire News, July 1, 2008.
Posted by admin at July 2, 2008 01:02 PM