Family-Based Interventions for Childhood Mood Disorders

Childhood mood disorders are associated with substantial impairment and risks for youth and their families. Identifying interventions that improve child and family functioning is essential for child, family, and public health. Several individual therapy modalities have been developed with historically little attention on family participation. However, with the accumulation of research demonstrating the roles family interactions can play in symptom presentation and course, interventions that include family involvement are garnering more attention and have demonstrated promising benefits for children with mood disorders. This article reviews evidence-based family-focused interventions for childhood mood disorders and provides examples of their implementation.