1st Edition

What Works with Children, Adolescents, and Adults? A Review of Research on the Effectiveness of Psychotherapy

By Alan Carr Copyright 2009
    398 Pages
    by Routledge

    400 Pages
    by Routledge

    What Works with Children, Adolescents, and Adults? provides an up-to-date review of research on the effectiveness of psychotherapy and psychological interventions with children, adolescents, adults, people in later life, and people with intellectual and pervasive developmental disabilities.

    Drawing on recent meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and key research studies in psychotherapy, this volume presents evidence for:

    • the overall effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of psychotherapy
    • the contribution of common factors to the outcome of successful psychotherapy
    • the effectiveness of specific psychotherapy protocols for particular problems.

    This comprehensive, user-friendly guide will inform clinical practice, service development and policy. It will be invaluable to psychotherapists, service managers, policymakers, and researchers.

    What Works with Children, Adolescents, and Adults? offers a review of the evidence base for three Handbooks published by Routledge: The Handbook of Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology (Carr, 2006), The Handbook of Adult Clinical Psychology (Carr & McNulty, 2006), and The Handbook of Intellectual Disability and Clinical Psychology Practice (O’Reilly, Carr, Walsh, & McEvoy, 2007).

    Preface. Psychotherapy, Psychotherapy Research, and Translating Science into Practice. The Overall Effectiveness and Cost-effectiveness of Psychotherapy. Common Factors in Psychotherapy. Effectiveness of Psychotherapy and Psychological Interventions with Specific Problems in Children, Adolescents, and People with Intellectual Disabilities and Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Effectiveness of Psychotherapy and Psychological Interventions with Specific Problems in Adulthood and Later Life. Additional Elements in the Psychotherapy Evidence-base. Conclusions.

    Biography

    Alan Carr is Professor and Director of Clinical Psychology at University College Dublin, and Consultant Psychologist and Family Therapist at the Clanwilliam Institute Dublin.

    "In recent years there has been increasing demand to move towards a clinical practice that is informed by sound research evidence and inevitably this has meant that there has also been a huge increase in the number of publications telling us what the research evidence actually says. To have a useful impact in such a crowded field is not easy but I have little doubt that What Works with Children, Adolescents, and Adults will be one of the books that people will really value reading. As in his previous publications Alan Carr draws on his impressive knowledge of the field and his ability to provide a very accessible and readable text. It is a book that will be useful both for the novice to this area providing a good overview and explanation of basic concepts as well as for the more expert reader for whom it will provide an excellent resource of up-to-date research evidence. An excellent book which I highly recommend." - Ivan Eisler, Reader in Family Psychology and Family Therapy, Kings College, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK

    "This book offers a unique and comprehensive up-to-date review of the research into the effectiveness of psychotherapy and psychological interventions with children, adolescents, adults, people in later life, and people with intellectual and pervasive developmental disabilities. Thanks to Alan Carr who has done an admirable job, the book presents a helpful guide to mental health professionals who aim to provide evidence based interventions. I highly recommend this book as a valuable source of information for students, clinicians, and researchers in clinical psychology and psychiatry." - Anegen Trillingsgaard, Department of Psychology University of Aarhus, Denmark 

    "What Works is an outstanding achievement. Professor Carr has effectively translated psychotherapy research findings into principles for clinical practice and public policy. This wide-ranging review is the first to examine treatment outcomes in children, adolescents, adults, the aged, and populations with special needs, providing conclusions with wisdom and reason. Must reading for students and professionals." - Professor Michael Lambert, Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, USA

    "This book will be useful for novices to this area, providing a good overview and explanation of basic concepts, and for more expert readers seeking an excellent resource of up-to-date research evidence. This book represents a valuable source of information for students, clinicians, and researchers in clinical psychology and psychiatry. An excellent book, which I highly recommend." - Caroline Morris, Addiction Today, Vol. 19, No. 116, February 2009

    "Alan Carr's review of research on the effectiveness of psychotherapy is well organised, accessible and very timely... Altogether a well written, rigorous and accessible text with a real sense of warmth underpinning the vigorous discussion. I highly recommend it." - Sarah Catchpole, Healthcare, Counselling & Psychotherapy Journal, Vol. 9 No. 2, April 2009

    "…easy to use for non-researchers…excellent sections on children and adolescents, older adults and people with learning disabilities…It provides a good deal of detail and is well organized…a very helpful contribution to psychotherapists wanting to base their practice on the best available evidence. It covers the age spectrum will, and provides a good balance between practice advice and research summary…well worth buying…"

    – Frank Margison, M.D., European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counseling