Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40335864›Full record

ReviewChild psychiatry and human development2025

Cognitive Behavioral Interventions for School Attendance Problems: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Sarah Jakobsen, Katrine B Tølbøll, Mikael Thastum, Johanne J Lomholt

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Child psychiatry and human development, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Sarah JakobsenDepartment of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. Sarahj@psy.au.dk.
Katrine B TølbøllTrygFonden's Centre for Child Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
Mikael ThastumDepartment of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
Johanne J LomholtDepartment of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This pre-registered (#CRD42024509947) systematic review synthesized evidence on cognitive behavioral interventions (CBTs) for youths with school attendance problems (SAPs). The PsycINFO, PubMed, ERIC, and Scopus databases were searched through 1985-2024 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-RCTs, and open trials (OTs) evaluating SAP-focused CBT. Data were synthesized narratively and through meta-analysis. Four RCTs and eleven OTs met eligibility criteria, including 932 youths. Meta-analyses revealed small to large uncontrolled pre- to post-intervention effects for school attendance (g = 1.02), anxiety (g = - 0.57), depression (g = - 0.66), and behavioral problems (g = - 0.40), which were maintained at follow-up. When compared to a control, CBT had a medium effect on school attendance (g = 0.44) but non-significant effects on anxiety (g = - 0.09) and depression (g = - 0.14). While the results hold promise for SAP-focused CBTs, evidence was limited by study heterogeneity, bias risks, methodological limitations, and inconsistent outcome measures, highlighting the needed for further RCTs.

Indexed as

Cognitive behavioral therapyMeta-analysisSchool attendance problemsSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID40335864

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.