Effectiveness of home treatment in children and adolescents with externalizing psychiatric disorders.
OBJECTIVE
The study examines effectiveness of home treatment in children and adolescents with severe externalizing behavior disorders.


METHODS
Fifty patients with ICD-10 diagnosis F90, F91, or F92 aged 5-16 years were treated in a home treatment setting for 3.5 months. Assessments were made using multiple informants (patients, parents, therapists, supervisors, and clinicians not involved in the treatment) to evaluate psychiatric symptoms, various aspects of psychosocial functioning, and global treatment outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings showed a significant decrease in psychiatric symptoms and improvement in psychosocial adjustment. Positive treatment effects were seen in almost every area of social functioning. The child's compliance and the therapist's professionalism were found to be the most important predictors of treatment outcome. Findings suggest that extent of achieved home treatment effects in externalizing disorders is similar to that in internalizing disorders.
Lay
B
B
Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany. LAY@as200-zi.mannheim.de
Blanz
B
B
Schmidt
M H
MH
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006701:Home Nursing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016896:Treatment Outcome