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This evaluation of the diverse methods applied in the field of child psychotherapy takes account of a wide range of procedures within and beyond the strictly analytic and relates them to the types of case in which they are effective. Problems are attempted under two heads. The first concerns the type, range, and degree of contact between therapist and parent, in relation to the type of treatment, and the circumstances in which it is undertaken. The second concerns the technical procedure in the therapeutic situation with the child having regard to the nature of the child's disturbance.
In the first category, the nature of the child's and the degree of the parents' disturbance are outstanding factors. 'Children who are developmentally at the height of their oedipal feelings or already in the latency period, who suffer from their disturbance and whose parents are not significantly disturbed themselves, so that they do not interfere with treatment—these children can be treated by themselves with a minimum of contact with and information from the parents.' Conversely the dependence of the preoedipal child on the mother may demand her inclusion in the treatment even to the extent of attending sessions and corroborating interpretation in some cases.
Procedures are considered where the disturbance of child and parent are identical; where the child's attendance aims mainly at a corrective experience and the mother attends mainly for her own therapy; where parental attitudes necessitate the child's removal from home; and where the relative or complete isolation of parent and child from each other is indicated in the interests of therapy.
The article concludes with a survey of child development directed to ascertaining the nature of the functional link between technical procedures in the treatment of the child, and the elements and areas of his disturbance.