Research Projects

1) Brief interventions for Anxiety and Depression

Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Pediatric Anxiety and Depression in Primary Care:  In collaboration with the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinics (Pittsburgh), this two-site study will test the effects of a brief cognitive behavioral therapy (BCBT) protocol in a large sample of children and adolescents (age 8-16) presenting with anxiety and/or depression in primary care as compared to facilitated referral to specialty mental health care (SMHC). The project builds on a pilot study and case series in which the intervention looked promising. Specific aims of the project are: Aim 1. To test the effects of the BCBT program compared to SMHC referral. Aim 2. To examine variability in treatment response and identify potential predictors and moderators of treatment effects (e.g., youth depression severity, parental depression, ethnicity). Aim 3. To develop initial estimates of the cost-effectiveness of the BCBT protocol. Potential benefits include free treatment for children and adolescents with an intervention based on best practices for these psychological conditions. In addition, youths randomized to the SMHC referral arm will receive assistance locating appropriate services at local agencies.

Please see our primary care handout for more information. This research is supported by an award from the National Institute of Mental Health (MH084935). You can find more information on the study here.

BCBT for Functional Abdominal Pain and Anxiety (BCBT-FAPA):  This study tests the effectiveness of the T-BCBT anxiety protocol adapted for youths with co-occurring functional recurrent abdominal pain (RAP). All data collection occurs at the Ohio State University Children’s Hospital in Columbus, OH.  This research is supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (MH07376; Campo [PI], Weersing [co-PI]).

2) Effectiveness of Community Mental Health Care

Yale Clinic Study:  This study is an evaluation of the services of an active community mental health clinic for children, adolescents, and families. The project aims to:  1) track mental health outcomes of the general population of the clinic, 2) examine predictors of treatment attrition and treatment response, and 3) evaluate the effectiveness of evidence-based treatments for youth depression, anxiety, and disruptive behavior disorders in a real world clinical care setting.  Enrollment for this study is ongoing; however, all data collection activities occur at the Yale University Child Study Center (YCSC) Outpatient Clinic in New Haven, CT.  Collaborating researchers include Dr. Joseph Woolston and Dr. Larry Scahill at Yale University.  This research has been supported by an award from the William T. Grant Foundation (Weersing, PI).

Therapy Procedures Checklist:  The Therapy Procedures Checklist (TPC; Weersing, Weisz, & Donenberg, 2002) was created to quantify the techniques used by child and adolescent therapists in typical community care. The TPC asks therapists to rate the extent to which they employ techniques drawn from the three most common psychotherapeutic approaches with youth: psychodynamic, cognitive, and behavioral. Currently, the TPC is being used to assess the content of community psychotherapy in over a dozen treatment and dissemination studies, and the measure has been translated into Dutch and Norwegian for use in international services research.  Information about requesting permission to use the TPC can be found here.  Development of the TPC was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (MH011779; Weersing [PI]).

3) Prevention of Depression

Prevention of Depression in At-Risk Adolescents (POD):  POD is a national, multi-site study designed to assess the impact of a cognitive behavioral prevention program on the future incidence of mood disorders and depressive symptoms in a large sample of at-risk adolescents.  Data collection sites include Vanderbilt University (Nashville), Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic (Pittsburgh), Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (Portland), and Harvard University School of Medicine (Boston).  Long-term follow-up interviews are being conducted through 2014.  This research has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (MH06450; Garber [PI], Weersing [co-I]).