CONTACT US: Contact info
|
Citation |
Fedewa AL, Ahn S, Reese RJ, Suarez MM, Macquoid A, Davis MC, Prout HT. J. Sch. Psychol. 2016; 56: 59-87. |
|
Affiliation |
Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology, University of Kentucky, United States. |
|
Copyright |
(Copyright © 2016, Society for the Study of School Psychology, Publisher Elsevier Publishing) |
|
DOI |
|
PMID |
27268570 |
|
Abstract |
The present study is a quantitative synthesis of the available literature to investigate the efficacy of psychotherapy for children's mental health outcomes. In particular, this study focuses on potential moderating variables-study design, treatment, client, and therapist characteristics-that may influence therapeutic outcomes for youth but have not been thoroughly accounted for in prior meta-analytic studies. An electronic search of relevant databases resulted in 190 unpublished and published studies that met criteria for inclusion in the analysis. Effect sizes differed by study design. Pre-post-test designs resulted in absolute magnitudes of treatment effects ranging from |-0.02| to |-0.76| while treatment versus control group comparison designs resulted in absolute magnitudes of treatment effects ranging from |-0.14| to |-2.39|. Changes in youth outcomes larger than 20% were found, irrespective of study design, for outcomes focused on psychosomatization (29% reduction), school attendance (25% increase), and stress (48% reduction). The magnitude of changes after psychotherapy ranged from 6% (externalizing problems) to 48% (stress). Several moderator variables significantly influenced psychotherapy treatment effect sizes, including frequency and length of treatment as well as treatment format. However, results did not support the superiority of a single type of intervention for most outcomes. Implications for therapy with school-aged youth and future research are discussed. Language: en |