Parent- and therapist-rated treatment satisfaction following routine child cognitive-behavioral therapy

Paula Viefhaus,Daniel Walter,Katrin Woitecki,Manfred Döpfner,Claudia Kinnen,Daniela Perri,Christiane Rademacher,Stephanie Schürmann,Anja Görtz-Dorten,Lydia Dachs,Hildegard Goletz,Tanja Wolff Metternich-Kaizman

doi:10.1007/s00787-020-01528-1

Paula Viefhaus, Daniel Walter + Show 10 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-020-01528-1

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Abstract

This observational study examined treatment satisfaction (TS) following routine outpatient cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in a large sample of children (n = 795; aged 6 to 10 years). TS was investigated in parent and therapist rating. Means, standard deviations and inter-rater correlations were calculated to investigate TS. Regression analysis was conducted to examine potential correlates of TS (patient-related variables, mental disorder characteristics, socio-demographic factors and treatment variables). High TS in parent and therapist rating was found, with therapists showing a lower degree of TS than parents (completely or predominantly satisfied: parent rating 94.1%, therapist rating 69.5%). A statistically significant, moderate inter-rater correlation was found. Regression analysis explained 21.8% of the variance in parent rating and 57.2% in therapist rating. Most of the TS variance was explained by mental disorder characteristics (parent-rated symptoms and therapist-rated global impairment at treatment end) and by treatment variables (especially the therapist-rated cooperation of parents and patients), whereas socio-demographic and patient-related variables did not show any relevant associations with TS. Based on these results, to optimize TS, therapists should concentrate on establishing a sustainable cooperation of parents and children during therapy, and work to achieve a low global impairment at treatment end.

Highlights

Mental disorders are highly prevalent in children and adolescents [1, 2], and pose a risk to their further development [3, 4]
treatment satisfaction (TS) was mainly rated by mothers (n = 722; 90.2%), and no statistically significant differences between raters were found on the total scale of the Therapy Evaluation Questionnaire” (TEQ) (t test)
The present study aimed to extend existing knowledge in the field of health care by investigating TS, and potential correlates thereof, in a large sample of clinically referred children following routine cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)

Summary

Introduction

Mental disorders are highly prevalent in children and adolescents [1, 2], and pose a risk to their further development [3, 4]. The perspectives both of the parents and of the therapist need to be considered when investigating TS in the treatment of children, while the validity of ratings by younger children remains questionable [8, 9]. Several studies have examined TS in various samples of children and adolescents with mental disorders. These studies generally examined all forms of community-based outpatient care, frequently performed in the framework of child and adolescent mental health services, with the majority

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