Child therapy training: closing gaps with research and practice

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychotherapy Research
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Background:

• Previous surveys indicate significant discrepancies between psychotherapy training, research, and clinical practice.
• These gaps are particularly concerning in the field of child therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address critical questions regarding the optimal training of child therapists, including content, methods, and timing.
• To identify areas where empirical knowledge is lacking in child therapy training.

Main Methods:

• A selective review of existing research on child therapy and therapy training was performed.
• The review focused on empirical studies to assess the current state of knowledge.

Main Results:

• Substantial gaps in empirical knowledge concerning child therapy training were identified.
• Despite the gaps, some promising directions for future research and training were also noted.

Conclusions:

• There is a need for more robust empirical data to inform child therapist training.
• A science-based approach is recommended to enhance the effectiveness and consistency of child therapist training.