Effects of CBT on children with disruptive behaviour disorders: findings from a Singapore study
- Author:
Yoon Phaik Ooi
;
Rebecca P. Ang
;
Daniel S. S. Fung
;
Geraldine Wong
;
Yiming Cai
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
disruptive behaviour disorders, cognitive behavioural therapy, aggression, parental stress
- From:ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry
2007;8(2):71-81
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Objective: The study examines the effectiveness of a CBT treatment programme over and
above that of Treatment As Usual (TAU), with children who were referred to an outpatient
child psychiatric clinic for disruptive behaviour disorders in Singapore. Methods: One hundred
and three children aged 8 to 12 (mean±SD=10.22±1.31) who participated in the study
were assigned to either the CBT+TAU (n= 51) or TAU group (n=52). Children in both the
CBT+TAU and TAU groups received a standard and typical service offered to children at the
outpatient child psychiatric clinic. In addition, children in the CBT+TAU group attended the
CBT treatment programme that consisted of nine 1.5 hour weekly sessions. Results: Findings
from ANCOVA indicated that children in the CBT+TAU treatment group showed significantly
lower levels of aggression and significantly lower levels of parental stress at posttreatment
and at 3-month follow-up in comparison to the TAU group. Conclusions: Findings
from the present study provided some evidence of the effects of CBT in reducing aggressive
behaviour and parental stress among children with disruptive behaviour disorders. Interpretation
of the findings, recommendations for future research, and implications of the present
study were presented.
