Review of the evidence base for treatment of childhood psychopathology: internalizing disorders.

This article reviews the empirical literature on psychosocial, psychopharmacological, and adjunctive treatments for children between the ages of 6 and 12 with internalizing disorders. The aim of this review was to identify interventions that have potential to prevent substance use disorders in adolescence by treating internalizing disorders in childhood. Results suggest that a variety of behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, and pharmacological interventions are effective in reducing symptoms of childhood depression, phobias, and anxiety disorders. None of the studies reviewed included substance abuse outcomes. Thus, little can be said about the relationship between early treatment and the prevention of later substance use. The importance of evaluating the generalizability of research-supported interventions to community settings is highlighted and recommendations for future research are offered.