Objective: Studies analyzing psychotherapy efficacy from the perspective of the different persons involved in the therapeutic process are lacking in the evaluation of psychotherapy outcome with children and adolescents.
Methods: Treatment efficacy of 28 long-term treatments with adolescents were analyzed from the perspective of the afflicted adolescents, their parents, and their therapist. Assessments were made three times over a mean frequency of 113 h.
Results: Therapy group (n = 28) and waiting group (n = 32) did not differ in relevant features, including diagnosis. In the therapy group, the therapists reported a strong reduction in symptomatology (η(2 )= .62) and communicative disturbances with parents, siblings and friends (η(2 )= .57) over time. Adolescents and parents reported a significant reduction in symptomatology (η(2 )= .26) over time, but did not differ in their evaluation of treatment effectiveness. The diagnosis (internalizing vs. externalizing disturbances) had no impact on the evaluation of treatment effectiveness of adolescents and parents.
Conclusions: Psychotherapy should include the different perspectives of all persons involved.