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The Elegant Psychosocial Intervention: A Heuristic Conceptual Framework for Clinicians and Researchers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 May 2008

Neville J. King  and
Thomas H. Ollendick
Neville J. King
Affiliation:
Monash University, Australia
Thomas H. Ollendick*
Affiliation:
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, USA
*
Reprint requests to Thomas H. Ollendick, Child Study Center, Department of Psychology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA. E-mail: tho@vt.edu
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Abstract

Controlled efficacy/effectiveness trials throughout the world have reached a high standard from a methodological stance, but what do we regard as the ideal or elegant intervention in clinical psychology? This paper presents six key points as the gold standards of psychosocial interventions by which treatment efficacy/effectiveness research with children, adolescents and adults might be evaluated: (1) Theoretical rationale and conceptualization of clinical dysfunction; (2) Clear problem identification and target client group; (3) Program features such as realistic goal setting, flexibility, and time limited interventions; (4) Manual based treatments; (5) Research support including clinically significant outcomes; and (6) Acceptability/social validation of clients and society. Sound case formulation and therapeutic alliance are crucial to assessment-treatment interface. Finally, we discuss the usefulness of such a framework for mental health professionals and clinical-researchers.

Keywords

Interventionchildrenadolescentsadults
Type
Leading Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 36 , Issue 3 , May 2008 , pp. 253 - 261
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2008

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