Treatment efficacy of narrative family therapy for children and adolescents with diverse psychiatric symptomatology

Abstract

Background: Little research has been undertaken on children and adolescents with psychiatric co-morbidity and this group is seldom subject to evidence-based treatment. Equally, there has been little research on creating an evidence base for Narrative Therapy, which means that narrative family therapy (NFT) is seldom available to children and adolescents with a psychiatric disorder. Objective: A single group clinical design was used to examine the efficacy of NFT for children and adolescents with different diagnoses. Method: Families receiving NFT from the Family Therapy Team (FTT) at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) of the Capital Region of Denmark filled out psychometric measurements before and after treatment. Patients evaluated the burden of symptoms using Beck's Youth Inventory (BYI), and parents evaluated their personal agency in relationship to their child's psychiatric disorder using Parent Activation Measurement (PAM). Results: We analyzed data from 48 patients and found a significant increase in median BYI measures of Self-Concept (40.5 to 46.0, p = 0.002) with an effect size of 0.60, decreases in BYI Depression Index (58.0 to 54.0, p = 0.030) with an effect size of-0.41, decreases in BYI Disruptive Behaviour Index (48.0 to 43.0, p = 0.030) with an effect size of-0.38, and a significant increase in PAM from 56.4 to 68.5, p = 0.001 with an effect size of 0.61. Conclusion: Results from this study suggest that NFT has a direct positive effect on patients' own evaluation of the burden of symptoms, and parents' perceived personal agency regarding their child's distress.

Clinical Application of Narrative Therapy in the Treatment of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder

“…A narrative therapy approach addresses the story line and definition a mother is creating for herself while managing PMAD symptoms and the inevitable postpartum changes. Narrative therapy and the externalization technique can be used in different treatment modalities and to treat a variety of symptoms (Etchison & Kleist, 2000; Jørring & Jensen, 2018). Effective Narrative treatments could include systemic considerations where family and couples can benefit from therapeutic interventions focused on understanding the depression or anxiety symptoms and the importance of safe support systems for the mother and/or father (Cluxton-Keller & Bruce, 2018).…”

Narrative therapy with children: A qualitative interview study with Danish therapists about the application of narrative practices

“…Other studies have emphasised NT as a preventive intervention for children of parents with affective disorders (Focht & Beardslee, 1996) and NT is evidently helpful in the treatment of moderate depression (Jørring & Jensen, 2018; Lopes et al, 2014), the reduction of attention‐deficit/hyperactivity symptoms (Looyeh et al, 2012), psychological distress in children with autism (Cashin et al, 2013), social phobia (Looyeh et al, 2014), and to support the development of social and emotional skills in children. A study by Jørring and Jensen (2018) found that narrative family therapy has a positive effect on young teenagers' own evaluation of the burden of symptoms, and on parents' perceived personal agency regarding the teenager's distress. They point to NT as giving families a language for, and ways of placing themselves in, a more powerful position regarding experienced challenges.…”