title: A systematic review of psychological interventions to alleviate cognitive and psychosocial problems in children with acquired brain injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is now generally accepted that paediatric acquired brain injury (ABI) can have an impact on a child's cognitive, social, and behavioural functioning. However, the lack of guidelines on effective interventions for the affected children and their families, particularly beyond the acute recovery phase, can limit access to effective support. We provide a systematic review of the literature on the effectiveness of psychological interventions aimed at alleviating cognitive and psychosocial outcomes after paediatric ABI.
  
  
  METHODS
  The search used the Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Knowledge, and EBSCO databases and hand searches of key journals. Nine studies met inclusion criteria: five intervention studies of cognitive outcome and four of psychosocial outcome. Effect sizes and methodological quality ratings were calculated using specific criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only two of the nine studies were rated as high quality. There was limited evidence for effective interventions for cognitive outcomes (attention, memory, and learning difficulties). For psychosocial outcomes, there was evidence that interventions can alleviate internalizing symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although there are some encouraging findings, there is a need for further, more rigorously designed, and better controlled research in this important area. We discuss how future research may consider issues such as age-appropriate interventions, the delivery format, and optimum post-injury timing of interventions, as well as multicentre collaborations.
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit for Mental Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Kimberley A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Liam
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dorris
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McMillan
mesh_terms: D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012940:Social Problems / Q000523:psychology*