Efficacy of psychotherapy in child maltreatment. A systematic review of the Latin American experience

Abstract

Child abuse in its various forms is currently a serious phenomenon that has been affecting our region throughout Latin America. Various studies suggest the serious psychological, social and public health consequences of child abuse in our society. Objective: This systematic review seeks to know the scientific literature regarding the effectiveness of the use of psychotherapy for the treatment of child abuse in any of its forms, focused on the Latin American experience. Method: Publications were selected from January 1, 2017 to October 2022, in Spanish and Portuguese. The databases used for this study were Scopus, Science direct and Scielo. Using the criteria and the Prisma method (Preferred Reporting Items For Systematic and Meta Analyses). Results: Three studies on the efficacy of psychotherapy in the treatment of child abuse were selected, the same ones that met the criteria established for this study. Conclusions: It is found that the various studies managed to reduce the related clinical symptoms, showing that they are effective in the treatment of child abuse.