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Outcomes of a Partial-Day Treatment Program for Referred Children

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Abstract

The day treatment model has been supported by research over the past decade, and has now evolved to include partial-day programs. Partial programs are attended for as little as 3 hours per day, in contrast to the 6–8-hour full day setting. Partial settings offer the added advantage of allowing children to continue in their regular school programs. Program evaluation must occur to discover whether these less intensive services can be effective in treating children with severe emotional disorders (SED). The Youth Outcome Questionnaire (Y-OQ) was used to examine group means, collected from successive admissions to the program during 1997–98. Data were collected from a total of 215 children (158 boys and 57girls), 5 to 13 years of age. All children were exhibiting emotional symptoms beyond the scope of outpatient services, with 92% being classified as having SED. Assessment was ongoing, with a median of 7 weeks between administrations of the Y-OQ. Group Y-OQ means were noted to decrease significantly at the second and third assessment, with 18% of the group scoring within the normal range of behavior at the third administration.

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Robinson, K.E. Outcomes of a Partial-Day Treatment Program for Referred Children. Child & Youth Care Forum 29, 127–137 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009453428705

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