Psychological Treatment with Youth: Style, Informed by Science

Abstract

Following statements about preferences for terminology, I describe three therapist characteristics (i.e., diagnostician educator, collaborator) deemed of value when providing psychological treatment for youth. Implementing an empirically supported treatment (EST) is a therapist decision, and while most therapists are aware of an EST that can fit for a specific client, many therapists ask “But is it right for my client?” This paper discusses therapist’s mental processes that may misinform decisions when answering this key question. To assist optimal decision making, and with an eye on maladaptive anxiety in youth as the exemplar, the active components of successful treatments are described, along with illustrations of flexibility within treatment fidelity (Flexibility within fidelity: Breathing life into a psychological treatment manual. Oxford University Press, 2022). Flexibility in implementing active components (e.g. rapport, psychoeducation, cognitive change, exposure tasks), as well as flexibility across modalities of treatment (e.g., in person, online) and working with parents are described.