Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Brief Intervention: A Promising Framework for Child and Youth Mental Health?

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

There is a discrepancy between the demand for mental health treatment amongst children, young people and their carers, and the capacity of the current service system to provide evidence based interventions. Innovative models of care are required to redress this discrepancy. One such model is the single session model, which provides a single or small number of solution focused sessions targeting one or two identified problems. Single session interventions have been trialled across a range of presenting concerns including child and youth mental health services. This paper provides a rationale for offering a brief focused intervention as part of a broader Child and Youth Mental Health Service, and introduces a model of how brief intervention fits within a broader system of care.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andrews, G., Henderson, S., & Hall, W. (2001). Prevalence, comorbidity, disability and service utilisation: Overview of the Australian National Mental Health Survey British Journal of Psychiatry, 178, 145-153.

  • Barwick, M., Urajnik, D., Sumner, L., Cohen, S., Reid, G., Engel, K., et al. (2013). Profiles and service utilization for children accessing a mental health walk-in clinic versus usual care. Journal Of Evidence-Based Social Work, 10(4), 338–352.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Battino, R. (2006). Expectation: The very brief therapy book. Norwalk: Crown House Publishing Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bloom, B. L. (2001). Focused Single-Session Psychotherapy: A Review of the Clinical and Research Literature. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 1(1), 75–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cameron, C. (2007). Single session and walk-in psychotherapy: A descriptive account of the literature. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 74(2), 245–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, A. (1999). Single Session Interventions: An example of clinical research in practice. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 20(4), 183–194.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, A. (2012). Single-Session Approaches to Therapy: Time to Review. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 33(1), 15–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christensen, H., & Hickie, I. (2010). Using e-health applications to deliver new mental health services. Medical Journal of Australia, 192(11), S53.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Christiana, J. M., Gilman, S. E., Guardino, M., Mickelson, K., Morselli, P. L., Olfson, M., et al. (2000). Duration between onset and time of obtaining initial treatment among people with anxiety and mood disorders: An international survey of members of mental health patient advocate groups. Psychological Medicine, 30(3), 693–703.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fry, D. (2012). Implementing Single Session Family Consultation: A Reflective Team Approach. The Australian and New Zealand Journal; of Family Therapy, 33(1), 54-69.

  • Fryers, T., & Brugha, T. (2013). Childhood Determinants of Adult Psychiatric Disorder. Clinical Practice & Epidemiology in Mental Health, 9, 1–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garland, A. F., Haine-Schlagel, R., Brookman-Frazee, L., Baker-Ericzen, M., Trask, E., & Fawley-King, K. (2013). Improving community-based mental health care for children: Translating knowledge into action. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 40(1), 6–22.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, N. B., Lambert, M. J., & Forman, E. M. (2002). The psychotherapy dose-response effect and its implications for treatment delivery services. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 9(3), 329–343.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hickie, I., & Groom, G. (2002). Primary care-led mental health service reform: an outline of the Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care initiative. Australasian Psychiatry, 10(4), 376-38.

  • Howard, K. I., Kopta, M., Krause, M. S., & Orlinsky, D. E. (1986). The dose–effect relationship in psychotherapy. American Psychologist, 41(2), 159–164.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hubble, M. A., Duncan, B. L., Miller, S. D., & Wampold, B. E. (2010). Introduction. In B. L. Duncan, S. D. Miller, B. E. Wampold, & M. A. Hubble (Eds.), The heart and soul of change: Delivering what works in therapy (2nd ed., pp. 23–46). Washington: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kazdin, A. E., & Blase, S. E. (2011). Rebooting Psychotherapy Research and Practice to Reduce the Burden of Mental Illness. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6(1), 21–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, R. C., Berglund, P., Demler, O., Jin, R., & Walters, E. E. (2005). Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62(6), 593.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, R. C., Olfson, M., & Berglund, P. A. (1998). Patterns and predictors of treatment contact after first onset of psychiatric disorders. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 155(1), 62–69.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Knapp, M., Mccrone, P., Fombonne, E., Beecham, J., & Wostear, G. (2002). The Maudsely long-term follow-up of child and adolescent depression 3: Impact of comorbid conduct disorder on service use and costs in adulthood. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 180, 19–23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McShane, G., Bazzano, C., Walter, G., & Barton, G. (2007). Outcome of patients attending a specialist educational and mental health service for social anxiety disorders. Clinical Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 12(1), 117–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, W. R. (2000). Rediscovering Fire: Small interventions, large effects. Psychology of Addictive Behaviours, 14(1), 6–18.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, J. K. (2008). Walk-in Single session team therapy: A study of client satisfaction. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 27(3), 78–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, J. K., & Slive, A. (2004). Breaking down the barriers to clinical service delivery: Walk-in family therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 30(1), 95–103.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Norcross, J. C., Campbell, L. F., Grohol, J. M., Santrock, J. W., Selagea, F., & Sommer, R. (2013). Self-help that works: Resources to improve emotional health and strengthen relationships. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olesen, S., Butterworth, P., & Leach, L. (2010). Prevalence of self-management versus formal service use for common mental disorders in Australia: findings from the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 44(9), 823–830.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Perkins, R. (2006). The effectiveness of one session of therapy using a single-session therapy approach for children and adolescents with mental health problems. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 79(2), 215–227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perkins, R., & Scarlett, G. (2008). The effectiveness of single session therapy in child and adolescent mental health. Part 2: An 18-month follow-up study. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 81(2), 143–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sawyer, M. G. (2000). Mental health of young people in Australia: Child and adolescent component of the National Survey of Mental Health and Well-being.

  • Seligman, M. E. P. (1995). The effectiveness of psychotherapy: The Consumer Reports study. American Psychologist, 50(12), 965–974.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Silverman, W. K., & Hinshaw, S. P. (2008). The second special issue on evidence-based psychosocial treatments for children and adolescents: A 10-year update. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 37(1), 1–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slaff, B. (1995). Thoughts on short-term and single-session therapy. In R. C. Marohn & S. C. Feinstein (Eds.), Adolescent psychiatry: Developmental and clinical studies (Vol. 20, pp. 299–306). Hillsdale: Analytic Press Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Talmon, M. (1990). Single session therapy: Maximising the effect of the first (and often only) therapeutic encounter. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Talmon, M. (2012). When Less is More: Lessons from 25 Years of Attempting to Maximize the Effect of Each (and Often Only) Therapeutic Encounter. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 33(1), 6–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, A., Issakidis, C., & Hunt, C. (2008). Delay to seek treatment for anxiety and mood disorders in an Australian clinical sample. Behaviour Change, 25(2), 71–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thornicroft, G. (2012). No time to lose: onset and treatment delay for mental disorders. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Services, 21(1), 59–61.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Warren, J. S., Nelson, P. L., Mondragon, S. A., Baldwin, S. A., & Burlingame, G. M. (2010). Youth psychotherapy change trajectories and outcomes in usual care: Community mental health versus managed care settings. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78(2), 144-1.

  • Weir, S., Wills, M., Young, J., & Perlesz, A. (2008). The implementation of single session work in community health. Brunswick: The Bouverie Centre.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisz, J. R., & Kazdin, A. E. (2010). Evidence-based psychotherapies for children and adolescents (2nd ed.). New York, NY US: Guilford Press.

  • Weisz, J. R., & Weiss, B. (1993). Effects of psychotherapy with children and adolescents. Thousand Oaks, CA US: Sage Publications, Inc.

  • Wierzbicki, M., & Pekarik, G. (1993). A meta-analysis of psychotherapy dropout. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 24(2), 190–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, C. J., & Deane, F. P. (2001). Adolescent Opinions About Reducing Help-Seeking Barriers and Increasing Appropriate Help Engagement. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 12(4), 345–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young, J., Weir, S., & Rycroft, P. (2012). Implementing Single Session Therapy. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 33(1), 84–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zubrick, S. R., Silburn, S. R., Burton, P., & Blair, E. (2000). Mental health disorders in children and young people: scope, cause and prevention. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 34(4), 570–578.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Deakin University, School of Psychology, Eastern Health Child and Youth Mental Health Service, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Vic 3125, Australia

    Donna Gee, Helen Mildred & Mandy Taylor

  2. Monash University, School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Eastern Health Child and Youth Mental Health Service (EH-CYMHS), Clayton, Australia

    Peter Brann

Authors
  1. Donna Gee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Helen Mildred
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Peter Brann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mandy Taylor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Donna Gee.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gee, D., Mildred, H., Brann, P. et al. Brief Intervention: A Promising Framework for Child and Youth Mental Health?. Adm Policy Ment Health 42, 121–125 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-014-0563-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-014-0563-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation