Dose effect in child psychotherapy: Outcomes associated with negligible treatment

Objective: To compare the outcomes of children who received negligible amounts of outpatient treatment to children receiving more treatment. Method: A random regression longitudinal model was used to analyze outcomes of children (aged 5-17 years) from the Fort Bragg Evaluation Project. Results: In examining several outcomes, the results show no statistically significant dose effect. Conclusions: Children receiving substantial amounts of treatment showed no better mental health outcomes than those receiving negligible amounts of treatment. The results do not support the existence of a dose effect consistent enough to guide clinicians, administrators, or policymakers.