Psychological interventions for parents of children and adolescents with chronic illness

Four main types of intervention were assessed: cognitive behaviour therapy, problem solving therapy, family therapy and multi-systemic therapy. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) had a small short-term effect immediately post-treatment on child symptoms (Fig. 1), but did not have an effect on parental behaviour, parental mental health, child behaviour or family functioning. Problem solving therapy had a small short-term effect only on parent behaviour and parent mental health (Table 1, Figs 2,3). Family therapy and multi-systemic therapy had no effect on any of the outcomes. When analysed by childhood condition, psychological therapies had a small effect on child symptoms for those with chronic pain although this was not maintained at follow-up. There were no significant effects of psychological therapies on any of the outcomes for the following individual conditions: cancer, diabetes, asthma or traumatic brain injury.