[The impact of developmental psychological and developmental psychopathological aspects on psychotherapy research with children].
The development of efficacious psychosocial interventions for children and psychotherapy for children and adults differ significantly from each other. Nevertheless, interventions have often been developed for adults and--assuming efficacy--generalized for children; as a rule, efficacy studies of interventions with children are implemented like studies with adults. Several studies put evidence on the efficacy of interventions from different therapeutic traditions, but effectiveness studies of psychotherapy--carried out under authentic conditions--revealed less beneficial effects. Important differences between psychotherapy with children and adults are discussed and several aspects are named, which could be responsible for the differing results of efficacy and effectiveness studies. Hence, several implications for psychotherapy studies with children can be derived (particularly concerning developmental psychological and developmental psychopathological aspects). Following issues are discussed: a) influence of maturation and development; b) influencing factors, e.g. characteristics of the clients; c) developmental appropriate methods; d) multimodal and multimethodological interventions; e) utilization of manuals; f) follow-up-studies; g) outcome criteria; h) sources of information.