Here are a few thoughts we share with our clients about the benefits of child therapy…

Here are a few thoughts we share with our clients about the benefits of child therapy…

Background: The prevalence of mental health disorders among children in Japan has increased rapidly, and those children often show depressive symptoms and reduced quality of life (QOL). We previously developed a smartphone-based self-monitoring application to deliver cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT app), implemented it in healthy children, and reported its effectiveness for health promotion. Objective: This study sought to examine the usefulness of the CBT app for improvement of depressive symptoms and QOL in children with mental health disorders. Methods: The participants were 115 children with mental health disorders (e.g., school refusal, orthostatic hypotension, eating disorders, or developmental disorders, among others) aged 12–18 years. The CBT app-based program comprised 1 week of psychoeducation followed by 1 week of self-monitoring. After reading story-like scenarios, participants created a self-monitoring sheet with five panels: events, thoughts, feelings, body responses, and actions. All participants received regular mental healthcare from physicians in addition to the app-based program. To evaluate subject’s depressive symptoms and QOL, Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-9A), Depression Self-Rating Scale for Children (DSRS-C), and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) were measured at the beginning of the intervention and 2 and 6 months thereafter. Questionnaire for Triage and Assessment with 30 items (QTA30), and Rosenberg Self-Esteem (RSE) scale were also used measure their health and self-esteem. Participants were divided into four groups on the basis of the PHQ-9A score (above or below the cut-off) [PHQ-9A ≥ 5 / PHQ-9A < 5] and completion or non-completion of the CBT app-based program [App (+)/App (-)]. The primary outcome was the improvements in the DSRS-C and secondary outcomes were improvements in other psychometric scales including PedsQL, QTA30, and RSE. A paired-samples t-test was used for statistical analysis. The Medical Ethics Committee of Fukuoka University Faculty of Medicine (approval number: U22-05-002) approved the study design. Results: There were 48, 18, 18, and 7 participants in the PHQ-9A ≥ 5 App (+), PHQ-9A ≥ 5 App (-), PHQ-9A < 5 App (+), and PHQ-9A < 5 App (-) groups, respectively. Twenty-four participants dropped out. No improvement in the DSRS-C score was observed in all groups. However, PedsQL scores improved significantly at 2 and 6 months in the PHQ-9A < 5 App (+) group (t(17)=6.62, p

Here are a few thoughts we share with our clients about the benefits of child therapy…

Harrison County addresses staffing issues and therapy service demands due to increased referrals.

Looking for support for your child’s emotional well-being? Ridgeline's child therapy programs in Columbus focus on mental health, healing, and family connection.

Experts outline effective therapy methods for ADHD and anxiety at Washington University clinic.