Language change in child psychotherapy: a meta-analytic review. 1991

R L Russell, and S Greenwald, and S R Shirk
New School for Social Research, New York, New York.

Eighteen child therapy outcome studies, containing 26 treatment/control comparisons on at least one language measure, were evaluated. Four questions were addressed: (a) Does child therapy positively impact children's language proficiencies, and are its effects comparable to those obtained on nonlanguage outcome measures? (b) Do outcome effects vary across individual versus group treatment? (c) Does the type of emphasis on verbal process in treatment affect the degree of gain in the children's language proficiencies at outcome? and (d) Do effect sizes on language measures differ depending on type of presenting problem? Results indicate that child therapy has a significant positive impact on children's language proficiencies and that individual is superior to group treatment. Several trends emerged suggesting relationships between the magnitude of language change and type of emphasis on verbal processes in therapy and the childs' presenting problems. Further research on language variables is recommended.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007804 Language Development The gradual expansion in complexity and meaning of symbols and sounds as perceived and interpreted by the individual through a maturational and learning process. Stages in development include babbling, cooing, word imitation with cognition, and use of short sentences. Language Acquisition,Acquisition, Language,Development, Language
D011613 Psychotherapy A generic term for the treatment of mental illness or emotional disturbances primarily by verbal or nonverbal communication. Psychotherapies
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002653 Child Behavior Disorders Disturbances considered to be pathological based on age and stage appropriateness, e.g., conduct disturbances and anaclitic depression. This concept does not include psychoneuroses, psychoses, or personality disorders with fixed patterns. Childhood Behavior Disorders,Behavior Disorder, Child,Behavior Disorder, Childhood,Child Behavior Disorder,Childhood Behavior Disorder,Disorder, Childhood Behavior
D002663 Child Language The language and sounds expressed by a child at a particular maturational stage in development. Child Languages,Language, Child,Languages, Child
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D015201 Meta-Analysis as Topic A quantitative method of combining the results of independent studies (usually drawn from the published literature) and synthesizing summaries and conclusions which may be used to evaluate therapeutic effectiveness, plan new studies, etc., with application chiefly in the areas of research and medicine. Clinical Trial Overviews,Data Pooling,Overviews, Clinical Trial,Clinical Trial Overview,Data Poolings,Meta Analysis as Topic,Overview, Clinical Trial

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