IDENTIFYING AND DEVELOPING EMPIRICALLY SUPPORTED CHILD AND ADOLESCENTTREATMENTS

Child and adolescent therapy outcome research findings attest to the e fficacy of a variety of treatments. This article illustrates promising treatments for selected internalizing (anxiety and depression), exter nalizing (oppositional, and antisocial behavior), and other (obesity a nd autism) conditions, and for other aims (preparation for medical and dental procedures). Studies in these areas illustrate worthwhile char acteristics that can help inform the search for empirically supported treatments. These characteristics include randomized controlled trials , well-described and replicable treatments, tests with clinical sample s, tests of clinical significance, broad-based outcome assessment incl uding measures of real-world functioning, and others. Continued resear ch progress will depend on greater attention to magnitude and maintena nce of therapeutic change, long-term follow-up, moderators and mediato rs of change, and development and testing of treatment in conditions r elevant to clinical practice.