Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate a method, " Counseling in Dialogue" (CD), developed to increase the quality of counseling in youth mental health. Decisional conflict was used as indicator of the quality of counseling and shared decision-making. Methods: 94 children aged 2-12 years were randomized into a CD group and a care as usual (CU) group. In a before-and-after design decisional conflict was measured using the decisional conflict scale (DCS) for parents (N=133) and the Provider Decision Process Assessment Instrument for therapists (PDPAI, N=20). 81 children had follow-up data. Results: Compared with parents of the CU group, parents of the CD group reported significantly less decisional conflict after counseling (difference mothers: -0.38 (95%CI -0.56; -0.19), p< .001; fathers: -0.22 (95%CI -0.44; -0.01), p=.045). 98% of the mothers and 96% of the fathers in the CD group accepted the recommended treatment, compared to 71% (fathers) and 77% (mothers) in the CU group, p< 0.05. Decisional conflict of the therapists was low in both groups after counseling (difference: -0.03 (95%CI -0.19; 0.14), p=.741). Conclusion: The counseling procedure significantly lowered decisional conflict of the parents and promoted the acceptance of the recommended treatment.

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doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2012.09.014, hdl.handle.net/1765/65921
Patient Education and Counseling
Pediatric Psychiatry

Westermann, G., Verheij, F., Winkens, B., Verhulst, F., & van Oort, F. (2013). Structured shared decision-making using dialogue and visualization: A randomized controlled trial. Patient Education and Counseling, 90(1), 74–81. doi:10.1016/j.pec.2012.09.014