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. 2019 Oct;16(5-6):189-196.
doi: 10.36131/clinicalnpsych2019050601.

Efficacy of the Cooperative Assessment Method (COOPAS) to Improve the Psychiatric Care of Help-Seeking Adolescents

Mario Biagiarelli  1   2 , Martina Curto  3   4 , Giulia Listanti  1 , Maria Paola Andraos  1 , Floriana Pazzelli  1 , Veronica Aprile  1 , Simona Pelaccia  1 , Beatrice Mantovani  1 , Federica Caccia  1 , Renato Carpentieri  1 , Guido Trabucchi  1 , Renata Tambelli  2 , Paolo Girardi  1 , Stefano Ferracuti  3 , Ross J Baldessarini  4   5 , Cinzia Sarlatto  1
Affiliations

Efficacy of the Cooperative Assessment Method (COOPAS) to Improve the Psychiatric Care of Help-Seeking Adolescents

Mario Biagiarelli et al. Clin Neuropsychiatry. 2019 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: Effective treatment of adolescents with psychopathological disorders is essential to reduce later morbidity and disability.To evaluate the clinical value of a new adolescent Cooperative Assessment scheme (COOPAS) as indicated by establishing therapeutic alliance, improving symptoms, and particularly by reducing dropouts.

Method: Consecutive help-seeking adolescents (N=136) were recruited, evaluated with an 8-week COOPAS protocol and followed for 6 months to document dropouts during treatment. Clinical rating scales [Hamilton Depression and Anxiety scales (HAM-D, HAM-A), Global Functioning Role and Social Scales (GF-RS, GF-SS), Structured Interview for Prodromal Symptoms (SIPS), Clinical Global Impression (CGI), Working Alliance Inventory-Therapist version (WAI-T), Therapist Response Questionnaire (TRQ), Psychotherapy Relationship Questionnaire (PRQ)] were administered at intake, 4 weeks later, and at the end of COOPAS evaluation (8 weeks).

Results: Final HAM-A and HAM-D scores improved by 25%; CGI, GF-SS and GF-RS also improved significantly. Similarly, WAI-T showed significant improvements in all three subscales, and patient-clinician relationships (PRQ) showed decreases in Anxious/Preoccupied and Avoidant/Counterdependent dimensions with increases of the Secure/Engaged measure. After 6 months, dropout rate was 8.82%.

Conclusions: COOPAS assessment was followed by reduced depressive and anxiety symptoms, good therapeutic alliance, and low dropout in adolescents.

Keywords: adolescents; anxiety; cooperative assessment; depression; dropout.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: No author or any immediate family member has current financial relationships with commercial organizations that might present the appearance of a potential conflict of interest with the material presented.

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