A Meta-Analysis of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy for School-Related Problems in Adolescents

Purpose: This meta-analytic study aimed to assess the overall effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) for adolescents’ problems in the school context. Methods: According to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, the study searched the various electronic databases between January 1, 1990, and April 30, 2022, to find studies that met the research criteria in both English and Turkish language. Results: Nine experimental trials (five randomized and four nonrandomized) which met all selection criteria were included in the analysis with a total sample size of 309 (154 from the experiment and 155 from the control group). The findings reported a result favoring the effectiveness of SFBT for adolescents’ school-related problems ( g = 1.80, 95% CI [.94–2.66]). Discussion: We believe that this study has advanced our understanding of the valid evidence base for the effectiveness of SFBT by showing promising outcomes on the potential effectiveness of SFBT in treating adolescents’ school-related problems.