A Randomized Clinical Trial of Technology-Enhanced Family-Focused Therapy for Youth in the Early Stages of Mood Disorders.

Objective: Family-focused therapy (FFT) is associated with enhanced outcomes in youth with bipolar and depressive disorders, but has not been evaluated in conjunction with mobile health tools. In symptomatic adolescents whose parents had histories of mood disorders, we examined whether the effects of telehealth-based FFT were augmented by mobile health apps that emphasized mood tracking and family coping skills.

Method: Participants (aged 13-19 years) had active mood symptoms and a parent with major depressive or bipolar disorder.

Development and Open Trial of a Technology-Enhanced Family Intervention for Adolescents at Risk for Mood Disorders.

Aim: Integrating psychosocial interventions with mobile apps may increase treatment engagement among adolescents. We examined the user experience, uptake, and clinical effects of a mobile-enhanced family-focused therapy (FFT) among adolescents at risk for mood disorders.

Method: We created a mobile app containing 12 lesson plans corresponding to content of weekly FFT sessions, with modules concerning mood management, family communication and problem-solving.