Effectiveness of cognitive-behavior therapy for maladapting children: a meta-analysis

This review aims to identify variables that moderate the outcomes of cognitive-behavior therapy for dysfunctional children. Theoretical considerations led to the hypothesis that children's cognitive developmental level would moderate treatment effectiveness, and analyses confirmed this hypothesis. The effect size (0.92) for children presumably functioning at the formal operational level (ages 11-13) was almost twice that for children at less advanced cognitive stages (for ages 5-7, 0.57; for ages 7-11, 0.55). However, changes in cognitive processes and behaviors were not significantly related, indicating the need for further work delineating the specific mechanisms of therapeutic change. Finally, an analysis of the practical significance of outcomes indicated that treatment had produced a meaningful impact on adjustment, although further behavioral improvement was still possible and desirable.