EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT GROUP TREATMENT - A METAANALYTIC REVIEW

Utilizing 56 outcome studies published between 1974 and 1997, this met a-analysis specifically examines the effect of group treatment with ch ildren and adolescents (ages 4-18). Various types of group treatment w ere assessed, including preventative programs, psychotherapy, counseli ng, guidance, and training groups. Results indicate that group treatme nt was significantly more effective for children than wait-list and pl acebo control groups (effect size = .61). That is, the average child o r adolescent treated by group treatment is better off than 73% of thos e in control groups. This meta-analysis strengthens and supports concl usions in the current literature and challenges others regarding the t reatment of children and adolescents by group treatment. For instance, allegiance of the experimenter, setting of the therapy, socio-economi c status of the patient, and publication year of the study were variab les that were significantly related to improvement, whereas diagnosis, content and source of the outcome measure were unrelated to improveme nt.