Citation

Hair H. J. Child Fam. Stud. 2005; 14(4): 551-575.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10826-005-7188-9

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The focus of this research review is to determine what factors increase the likelihood that positive individual and systemic changes occur for children and adolescents following discharge from residential treatment. Residential treatment outcome studies from 1993 to 2003 that fulfilled predetermined criteria were located through 4 on-line databases using key word combinations. The research selected was: (a) 7 studies that measured outcome immediately upon completion of treatment and discharge, and (b) 11 studies where outcome progress was assessed at one or more follow-up dates after discharge. Results showed that children and adolescents with severe emotional and behaviour disorders can benefit and sustain positive outcomes from residential treatment that is multi-modal, holistic and ecological in its approach. Similar to the clinical child psychotherapy research, conclusions must be tempered due to the limited number of studies and methodological weaknesses. Future considerations highlight how research results can more realistically reflect intervention effectiveness when elements of the ecological and systemic landscape of care are addressed.