The information in this program outline is provided by the program representative and edited by the CEBC staff. The Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Adolescent Skills Training (IPT-AST) program has been rated by the CEBC in the area of: Depression Treatment (Child & Adolescent).

• Types of Maltreatment: Does not target any specific kind of maltreatment
• Target Population: Adolescents, 12-16 years old, with elevated depression symptoms.

IPT-AST is a group-indicated prevention program that is based on Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents (IPT-A) and its group adaptation. The intervention, known to adolescents as “Teen Talk,” involves two initial individual sessions and eight weekly 90-minute group sessions. The group focuses on psychoeducation and general skill-building that can be applied to different relationships within the framework of three interpersonal problem areas: interpersonal role disputes, role transitions, and interpersonal deficits. The psychoeducation component includes defining prevention, educating members about depression, and discussing the relationship between feelings and interpersonal interactions. The interpersonal skill-building component consists of two stages. First, communication and interpersonal strategies are taught through didactics, activities, and role-plays. Once group members understand the skills, they are asked to apply them to different people in their lives, practicing first in group and then at home.