[Contract Focused Group Therapy - Results of a Second Evaluation]

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychology
• Behavioral Therapy
• Systemic Therapy

Background:

• Contract Focused Group Therapy (AFoG) adapts systemic solution-focused approaches for pediatric and adolescent populations.
• Previous evaluations suggest AFoG's potential, necessitating further investigation into its efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of Contract Focused Group Therapy (AFoG) in reducing behavioral problems in children and adolescents.
• To assess changes in perceived symptom load from both child and caregiver perspectives.

Main Methods:

• A pre-post-design study involving 72 children and their parents participating in AFoG.
• Utilized the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL 4-18) and Youth Self-Report (YSR 11-18) to measure behavioral symptoms at baseline and three months post-therapy.
• Employed t-tests and the Reliable Change Index to analyze symptom reduction and clinical significance.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant reductions in reported behavioral symptoms were observed post-AFoG compared to pre-therapy levels.
• Children and adolescents with initially high levels of behavioral problems showed a marked decrease in perceived symptom load.
• The Reliable Change Index indicated a clinically significant positive effect of the therapy.

Conclusions:

• AFoG demonstrates effectiveness in decreasing behavioral symptoms in children and adolescents.
• The therapy shows positive clinical significance, particularly for individuals with severe behavioral issues.
• Further research, including controlled trials, is recommended to substantiate AFoG's effectiveness.