This paper addressed the problem that clinical research rarely utilizes quantitative analysis to consider age in determining efficacy of mental health treatments. More specifically, a secondary analysis extended published outcomes in a VA study of bCBT. By investigating age as a moderator of change in treatment outcomes, this study addressed the risk of over-generalizing expected treatment efficacy and outcome trajectory. Results of a latent growth curve analysis determined there was a general downward trajectory in anxiety and depression over the study period, and participants randomized to the bCBT group, those identified as female, and older individuals tended to score lower on a depression measure at baseline than those in the control group, persons identified as male, and persons who were younger. Since treatment emerged as a significant negative predictor in both models, we know predicted decreases in depression and anxiety over the entire study period were more pronounced for individuals in the bCBT group as compared to the control group. While none of the interaction terms were statistically significant in the anxiety model, the predicted decrease in depression over the study period was less pronounced for older participants.

Keywords: aging, older adults, lifespan, bCBT, CBT, latent curve analysis