The current evidence of solution-focused brief therapy: A meta-analysis of psychosocial outcomes and moderating factors

Abstract

Purpose: Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) focuses on the strengths and resources of clients, and is assumed to achieve positive results on various psychosocial outcomes. This meta-analysis is an extension of previous meta-analyses on SFBT, and examines if the effectiveness of SFBT is influenced by participant, intervention, study and publication characteristics.

Methods: Experimental and quasi-experimental studies were included. A three-level meta-analysis was performed on 72 studies and 489 effect sizes, accounting for within and between study differences.

Results: The overall effect of SFBT on psychosocial problems was large (g = 1.17). Moderator analyses revealed larger effects of SFBT in non-clinical samples (g = 1.50) than in clinical samples (g = 0.78). Studies with treatment-as-usual (TAU) as control condition reported smaller effects (g = 0.58) than studies with a no-treatment control condition (g = 1.59). Relatively large effects were found for couples (g = 3.02) compared to other client groups (0.41 < g < 1.70), and marital functioning (g = 3.02) compared to other outcomes (0.23 < g < 1.31). Group therapy (g = 1.64) yielded a larger effect than individual therapy (g = 0.48).

Conclusion: The findings indicate that SFBT is applicable for a variety of clients and psychosocial problems.

Keywords: Effectiveness; Outcomes; Psychosocial problems; SFBT; Solution-focused brief therapy; meta-analysis.