BEHAVIOR-THERAPY IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCE NTS - AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC-STUDY WITHIN THE MAIN GERMAN HEALTH-INSURANCE SYSTEM

Outpatient behavior therapy has been paid for in the Federal Republic of Germany since 1980 as a service of the health insurance system that covers most of the population. This therapeutic approach is used with children, adolescents and adults, but up to now it has played only a minor role in the treatment of psychological and psychiatric problems in children and adolescents. A content analysis of 221 applications fo r approval of long-term therapy for children or adolescents provided i nformation on sociodemographic data, symptoms, diagnoses, treatment go als and treatment methods. Data were also obtained on the patients' so cial situation. The analysis suggests that mainly 7- to 11-year-old bo ys undergo treatment. The number of girls receiving treatment increase s during puberty, and during adolescence more girls are treated than b oys. Applications for outpatient behavior therapy are predominantly fo r developmental disorders, hyperkinetic disorders, emotional disorders , phobias, enuresis, adjustment disorders, conduct disorders and eatin g disorders. The main treatment goals are the development of new behav ioral skills and the maintenance of or strengthening of behavior that is incompatible with the symptoms. Cognitive-behavioral methods are fr equently used.