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 An electronic search of relevant databases resulted in 190 unpublished and published studies that met criteria for inclusion in the analysis.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.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 59-87 |
| Number of pages | 29 |
| Journal | Journal of School Psychology |
| Volume | 56 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 1 2016 |
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Keywords
- Child outcomes
- Counseling
- Mental health
- Meta-analysis
- Quantitative review
- Therapy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Education
Cite this
Does psychotherapy work with school-aged youth? A meta-analytic examination of moderator variables that influence therapeutic outcomes. / Fedewa, Alicia L.; Ahn, Soyeon; Reese, Robert J.; Suarez, Marietta M.; Macquoid, Ahjane; Davis, Matthew C.; Prout, H. Thompson.
In: Journal of School Psychology, Vol. 56, 01.06.2016, p. 59-87.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Does psychotherapy work with school-aged youth? A meta-analytic examination of moderator variables that influence therapeutic outcomes
AU - Fedewa, Alicia L.
AU - Ahn, Soyeon
AU - Reese, Robert J.
AU - Suarez, Marietta M.
AU - Macquoid, Ahjane
AU - Davis, Matthew C.
AU - Prout, H. Thompson
PY - 2016/6/1
Y1 - 2016/6/1
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Child outcomes
KW - Counseling
KW - Mental health
KW - Meta-analysis
KW - Quantitative review
KW - Therapy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84966702107&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84966702107&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jsp.2016.03.001
DO - 10.1016/j.jsp.2016.03.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 27268570
AN - SCOPUS:84966702107
VL - 56
SP - 59
EP - 87
JO - Journal of School Psychology
JF - Journal of School Psychology
SN - 0022-4405
ER -