Psychotherapy for children and adolescents. Current progress and future research directions

Psychotherapy research for children and adolescents has progressed considerably in the past decade. In this article, reviews of treatment outcome research, individual outcome studies, programmatic studies of specific interventions, and treatments for specific clinical dysfunctions are high-lighted to convey progress. Current advances in treatment have been augmented greatly by psychological theory and research on the nature of child dysfunction as well as by improved methods of assessing children and specifying and evaluating treatments. In light of the current status of research, several priorities are identified that include expanding the range of research questions asked about treatment, evaluating a broader range of treatments, examining long-term treatment effects, bridging research and practice, extending treatment further to underserved and understudied populations, and integrating developmental theory and research into child treatment research.