Current Treatments for Externalizing and Internalizing Disorders in Young Children: A Review

The preceding three chapters provide a detailed description of the findings from the PACT multi-domain models of risk factors for externalizing symptoms (ODD and ADHD symptoms, Chap. 7 ), internalizing symptoms (child depression and anxiety symptoms, Chap. 8 ), and a transdiagnostic approach (Chap. 9 ) in young children. Taken together, these models generate a wealth of new knowledge with important implications for the treatment of young children suffering from a range of disorders and symptom clusters. The transdiagnostic model, with its focus on examining risk factors common to general psychopathology in young children, is particularly important for determining how best to treat those children experiencing symptoms of more than one disorder, a common occurrence (see Chap. 9 ). Before discussing the treatment implications of these studies, this chapter reviews current individual and family-based treatments for externalizing and internalizing disorders. The first section reviews treatments for externalizing disorders, while the second section covers a review of treatments for internalizing ones. The chapter concludes with a discussion of issues with the extant treatments.