Correlates of a Crisis in Children's Psychotherapy in Usual Care

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine crises that occur in Treatment as Usual. A children's mental health group was examined in order to explore the correlates of a crisis session. N=7267 sessions, N=629 clients, and N=240 clinicians were included in the analysis. Logistic regressions were conducted for several factors: therapeutic alliance, symptom severity, caregiver strain, and number of topics discussed within the session. Therapeutic alliance, as rated by the clinician, and symptom severity, as rated by the clinician, both had significant associations with the occurrence of a crisis. The number of topics discussed within the session was also a significant covariate of the occurrence of a crisis. These correlates provide a basis for future studies of crises within sessions.