Children and adolescents

Major meta-analyses of trials of individual child psychotherapy, cognitive-behaviour therapy for children and family therapy have all yielded effect sizes of about 0.7 indicating that the average treated case, fares better than approximately 76% of untreated cases after therapy. The results of these meta-analyses are important because they justify the use of psychological interventions for treating children’s psychological problems. Broad band meta-analyses have yielded an unequivocally positive answer to the big question–Does child psychotherapy work? In contrast, tightly focused narrative reviews and small meta-analyses which examine the effectiveness of specific interventions with specific problems have addressed the narrower question–What works for whom with children and adolescents? The present paper addresses this question with particular reference to a number of the more common conduct and emotional problems which occur during childhood and adolescence.