Structural family versus psychodynamic child therapy for problematic Hispanic boys.

Abstract

Structural family therapy, psychodynamic child therapy, and a recreational control condition were compared for 69 six-to-twelve-year-old Hispanic boys who presented with behavioral and emotional problems. The results suggest that the control condition was significantly less effective in retaining cases than the two treatment conditions, which were apparently equivalent in reducing behavioral and emotional problems as well as in improving psychodynamic ratings of child functioning. Structural family therapy was more effective than psychodynamic child therapy in protecting the integrity of the family at 1-year follow-up. Finally, the results did not support basic assumptions of structural family systems therapy regarding the mechanisms mediating symptom reduction.

The State of the Evidence Base for Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Children and Adolescents

“…Szapoccznik et al 55 follow-up the rates of depression had decreased further; 100% of cases in the SIFT group and 81% of cases in the FIPP group were no longer clinically depressed, suggesting a 'sleeper effect' for family therapy as well as individual dynamic therapy.…”

Influence of Family Therapy on Bullying Behaviour, Cortisol Secretion, Anger, and Quality of Life in Bullying Male Adolescents: A Randomized, Prospective, Controlled Study

“…The clear time frame and clear interventions were shown to promote compliance (see also 20,[26][27][28].…”

“…BSFT focuses on assessing the family's conflict resolution style and on developing specific interventions to help families negotiate and resolve their differences more effectively (29). BSFT targets children and youth aged 8 to 17 years who currently display or are at risk for developing behaviour problems (26). BSFT aims to improve adolescent behaviour by improving family relationships, which, presumably, are directly related to adolescent behaviour problems; it also aims to improve relationships between the family and other important systems that influence youth (for example, school and peers) (27).…”

Child psychoanalytic psychotherapy in the UK National Health Service: an historical analysis

“…In the late 1980s randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of child psychoanalytic psychotherapy began to appear. Over the next 10 years, at least fi ve RCTs were published (Robin et al, 1999;Sinha and Kapur, 1999;Smyrnios and Kirby, 1993;Szapocznik et al, 1989;Weiss et al, 1999). One trial of brief intervention was positive, two trials showed equivalent outcomes for family therapy and psychodynamic therapy, and two trials were negative.…”