Abstract
Objective: To conduct a 1-year follow-up of anxious-depressed school-refusing adolescents who participated in an 8-week study of imipramine versus placebo, each in combination with cognitive-behavioral therapy. Method: Sixty-five percent (41 of 63) of the randomly assigned subjects returned for follow-up evaluation, which consisted of diagnostic interviews, clinician rating scales for anxiety and depression, family functioning measure, and a questionnaire regarding interim treatments and school programs. Results: From the adolescent and/or parent perspective, 64.1% met criteria for an anxiety disorder and 33.3% met criteria for a depressive disorder. Remission rates and acquisition rates for specific anxiety and depressive dis-orders were determined. In the follow-up period, 67.5% received at least one psychotropic medication trial and 77.5% had outpatient therapy. Higher level of somatic complaints on the Anxiety Rating for Children-Revised Physiological subscale at baseline predicted more severe depression on the Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised at follow-up (p = .029). Conclusions: In this naturalistic follow-up study, there was high utilization of mental health interventions. In addition, a substantial number of subjects met criteria for anxiety and/or depressive disorders 1 year after treatment. Investigation of duration of acute treatments and evaluation of maintenance treatments for school refusal is needed.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 206-213 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry |
Volume | 40 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2001 |
Keywords
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Follow-up
- School refusal