An evaluation of Neuro-Physiological Psychotherapy: An integrative therapeutic approach to working with adopted children who have experienced early life trauma

An evaluation of Neuro-Physiological Psychotherapy: An integrative therapeutic approach to working with adopted children who have experienced early life trauma

Elaine McCullough, Susi Gordon-Jones, Anna Last, Jay Vaughan, Alan Burnell · Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry

Researchers evaluated an integrated therapy with 31 adopted young people and their parents using repeated measures and interviews. Measures showed changes in behaviour regulation, executive functioning, internalising and externalising difficulties, and social and thought problems during treatment.

Limitations: Small selected service sample without a randomised control group. Child outcomes include parent-proxy evidence, not simply direct adoptee testimony. Changes cannot establish that therapy caused improvement. Shares a service research programme with later comparison and follow-up papers. Research evaluates Family Futures’ own therapeutic service. Several authors work for the provider; this institutional relationship should be considered when interpreting findings.

Research type

Repeated-measures service evaluation

Source reviewed

Abstract

Peer reviewed

Yes

Age group

Mixed