Psychosocial interventions for disruptive and aggressive behaviour in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis

Background The effects of psychotherapy in reducing aggressive behaviours in children and adolescents using meta-analysis were estimated. Method Sixty-five studies were included, covering 4,971 cases. Teacher reported change in aggression, change in social functioning, and changes in parental distre...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European child & adolescent psychiatry 2008-10, Vol.17 (7), p.438-451
Main Authors: Fossum, Sturla, Handegård, Bjørn Helge, Martinussen, Monica, Mørch, Willy Tore
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adolescent Behavior - psychology
Aggression - psychology
Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders - prevention & control
Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders - therapy
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Child Behavior - psychology
Child Behavior Disorders - prevention & control
Child Behavior Disorders - therapy
Child clinical studies
Child, Preschool
Female
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Miscellaneous
Original Contribution
Parents - psychology
Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Psychotherapies. Psychological and clinical counseling
Psychotherapy - methods
Social Behavior
Social behavior disorders
Systematic review
Treatments
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Summary:Background The effects of psychotherapy in reducing aggressive behaviours in children and adolescents using meta-analysis were estimated. Method Sixty-five studies were included, covering 4,971 cases. Teacher reported change in aggression, change in social functioning, and changes in parental distress were calculated. Results The mean effect size (ES) of change in aggression in studies with untreated controls was 0.62 and in studies without untreated controls the ES was 0.95. In studies with or without untreated controls, the ESs in teacher reported aggression was 0.41 and 0.63, the ESs in changes in social functioning was 0.42 and 0.49, and the ESs in changes in parental distress was 0.39 and 0.47, respectively. Conclusion Psychosocial treatments aimed at reducing aggressive behaviour have positive effects and additional treatment effects are moderate. In the moderator analysis, studies with untreated controls obtained significantly larger ESs if the sample size was small. Similarly, in studies without untreated controls, studies presenting diagnostic information, and studies with younger children resulted in significantly larger ESs, and studies applying behavioural interventions obtained significantly larger ESs as compared to studies applying family therapeutic interventions. There is still a need to further develop effective outpatient interventions for children being disruptive, and especially for adolescents.
ISSN:1018-8827
1435-165X
DOI:10.1007/s00787-008-0686-8