A 12-week comparison regarding symptom improvement in an urban university-based outpatient child psychiatry clinic

Am J Ther. 2014 Jan-Feb;21(1):10-4. doi: 10.1097/MJT.0b013e3182949971.

Abstract

To compare the efficacy of pharmacotherapy versus combination pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy for externalizing, conduct, and aggressive behaviors in children aged 6 through 18 years in an urban academic outpatient facility. Data from a child psychiatry outpatient population whose scores were identified as "at risk" or "clinically significant" based on a validated and standardized assessment tool were assessed at baseline and 12 weeks or more after treatment. Conduct symptoms worsened with medication management alone but improved with combination treatment (P < 0.05). Females and older youth were more likely to have therapy included in their treatment. Conduct problems that can be seen in a variety of youth disorders, such as disruptive behaviors, mood, and anxiety disorders, have a better probability of improving with treatment that includes psychotherapy versus medication management alone.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Age Factors
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Child
  • Child Behavior Disorders / psychology
  • Child Behavior Disorders / therapy
  • Child Psychiatry / organization & administration*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders / drug therapy
  • Mental Disorders / psychology
  • Mental Disorders / therapy*
  • Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / organization & administration*
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Psychotherapy / methods
  • Psychotherapy / organization & administration
  • Psychotropic Drugs / therapeutic use
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sex Factors

Substances

  • Psychotropic Drugs