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Objectives:Group-based Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy of children with aggressive behavior has resulted in significant reductions of behavior problems with small to medium effect sizes. We report the efficacy of an individualized Treatment Program for Children with Aggressive Behavior.Method:A within-subject design with two phases (waiting, treatment) was chosen. Sixty boys aged 6–12 years with peer-related aggressive behavior were included. The course of the outcome measures (growth rates) during a 6-week waiting phase was compared with those in the subsequent treatment phase (24 weekly child sessions together with an average of 8 parent contacts) by multilevel modeling. Primary outcome was peer-related aggressive behavior rated by parents. Further outcome measures included parent ratings and patient self-reports of aggressive and prosocial behavior.Results:During the treatment, growth rates for all parent-rated outcome measures were significant (p < .001) and comparison with the waiting phase indicated a stronger decrease in aggressive behavior and a stronger increase in prosocial behavior. For all self-rated outcome measures, growth rates during the treatment were significant (p < .01), but comparison with the waiting phase indicated a stronger decrease only for disturbance of social interaction.Conclusions:The treatment program is an effective intervention for children with peer-related aggressive behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:Up to 50% of psychotherapeutic treatments end without significant improvements. While there is first evidence about predictors of nonresponse in outpatient psychotherapy, there are currently no studies investigating predictors of nonresponse in inpatient settings. Based upon a previous systematic literature review, we analyzed the predictive value of initial patient characteristics on nonresponse in symptom distress.Methods:Treatment episodes from 546 patients, treated for at least 4 weeks, were assessed under naturalistic conditions. Nonresponse status (i.e., lack of a reliable improvement in symptom distress) was investigated at four different time points: at week 4, at discharge, and at a two follow-ups (3 and 12 months after discharge). Hierarchical binary logistic regression models were used to predict nonresponse. Sociodemographic data, clinical variables, and the previous response status were entered subsequently in the model.Results:A moderate or functional level of initial symptom distress, a comorbid personality disorder, and previous nonresponse were the most consistent predictors of nonresponse.Conclusions:The results point to the importance of early outcome assessment and suggest the implementation of more symptom-specific treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of systemic therapy on psychiatric disorders in adulthood. Methods: This meta-analysis integrates results of 37 randomized controlled trials (RCT) of therapy with an explicit systemic focus on adults with psychiatric disorders. Studies were identified through systematic searches in electronic databases and cross-referencing. Results: On average, systemic therapy had stronger short-term (g =.51) and long-term (g =.55) efficacies than control groups without alternative treatment and stronger short-term effects than alternative active treatments (g =.25). In addition, efficacy of systemic therapy was similar to those of other bona fide psychotherapies. Individuals receiving systemic therapy plus medication showed stronger improvements at posttest (g =.71) and follow-up (g =.87) than those receiving only medication. Illness-specific analyses showed positive short-term efficacy of systemic therapy on eating disorders, mood disorders, obsessive–compulsive disorders, schizophrenia, and somatoform disorders. At follow-up, efficacy of systemic therapy was only found on eating disorders, mood disorders, and schizophrenia. In addition, systemic therapy had lower dropout rates than alternative treatments. For certain comparisons, effect sizes were moderated by participant age, study quality, and year of publication. Conclusions: We conclude that the present meta-analysis found some evidence for the efficacy of systemic therapy on five disorders, but the number of available RCT is still limited. More research is needed on systemic therapy of other disorders, such as anxiety disorders and substance use disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]