Psychotherapeutic treatment methods must, as with all treatment in children and adolescents, take into consideration the following issues.

• Developmental aspects: in all psychiatric disorders affecting children and adolescents, the developmental stage and their implications should be borne in mind. They are relevant not only in terms of the symptom profile but also in the choice of an appropriate therapy.

• Family relationships: the family or group of people comprising the household in which a child lives make up the closest contacts a child or adolescent has. Children are much more dependent on their immediate social surroundings than adults, and any psychiatric disorder needs to be viewed in this context.

• Educational or vocational aspects: beyond the family, educational or training institutions such as nurseries, schools or colleges are very important with respect to a child's development. This must be considered when treating the psychiatric disorder of a child or adolescent.

• Risk factors for developmental variability and psychiatric disorders: a number of known risk factors are modifiable, especially those in social areas; attempts should therefore be made to identify them at the earliest possible stage and to minimize their potentially harmful effects as part of a treatment plan.

• Protective factors and prevention: childhood and adolescence are the optimal times for bringing protective or preventative measures into play. Intervention during this critical period can prevent, for example, psychotic episodes becoming chronic.

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