A test of the compensation and capitalization models in group interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescent girls at risk for obesity

<p>The current study investigated how preexisting social functioning, specifically understanding of and use of social skills and degree and frequency of social stressors, influenced treatment outcome in a sample of adolescent girls at risk of overweight participating in a randomized trial of group Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT-WG). The applicability of compensation and capitalization models was evaluated. Thirty-eight adolescent girls randomized to a 12-week IPT-WG or a standard-of-care health education program participated in the current study. Prior to the start of the group, during the group, at the end of the 12-week group program, and again 6 months and 1 year after the start of treatment, all participants were administered physical assessments, as well as measures of social functioning and eating pathology. Statistical analyses revealed preliminary support for a compensation model at work within IPT-WG. Significant positive correlations were found between several measures of social functioning and outcome variables, suggesting that those with poorer social functioning scores at baseline tended to have better outcomes.</p>