Nursery World - Therapy with parents and young children found to improve mental health

A new study shows that therapeutic interventions in the earliest months and years of life can help prevent and reduce mental health difficulties, both for parents and their children.

The review of existing research suggests engaging families in therapy early on in their child's life has a positive impact PHOTO Adobe Stock

The comprehensive review of international research by the Anna Freud Centre shows the positive impact of therapy interventions on children under the age of five and their caregivers.

The review focuses specifically on psychodynamic and psychoanalytic interventions, covering 77 studies and including 5,660 participants. It was commissioned by the Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP).

A psychoanalytic method focuses on strengthening an infant’s early relationships with parents and helps the caregiver to observe and make sense of the baby or young child’s experiences. It also emphasises how parenting difficulties can be passed down through the generations.

Psychodynamic therapy focuses on the psychological roots of emotional suffering, including self-reflection and self-examination.

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