Preventive interventions for children of parents with depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder: A quasi-experimental clinical trial

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the effectiveness of preventive interventions for 8–17-year-old children of patients diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. Methods: Sixty-two families including 89 children received either the more extensiveFamily Talk Intervention (FTI; n = 35), the brief Let's Talk about Children (LTC; n = 16), or Interventions as Usual (IAU; n = 38) in routine care in adult psychiatry. Parentrated questionnaire data were collected at baseline, after 6 and 12 months. We used growth curve models to investigate the effect of intervention on child mental health problems (SDQ-P Total Difficulties) and perceived parental control of child behaviour (PLOC-PPC). Results: Parents in the FTI and LTC groups, versus the IAU group, reported more favourable development in terms of preventing increase in child mental health problems with standardised intervention effects of d = −0.86 and −0.88 respectively, by study end, and reported improved perceived parental control, d = 1.08 and 0.71, respectively, by study end. No significant differences in effect were found when FTI and LTC were compared. Conclusions: The results support continued use of FTI and LTC in adult psychiatry, and since LTC is a brief intervention, it might be useful as a minimum-level preventive intervention.