A recent systematic review by the Children’s Health Policy Centre found that transdiagnostic interventions that addressed common risk factors underlying multiple disorders prevented or reduced symptoms of multiple childhood mental disorders. These results suggest six implications for practice and policy:

• Consider effective transdiagnostic prevention programs for better efficiency. Because multiple symptoms can be prevented using one intervention, greater efficiencies are possible. Efficiencies are also enhanced when programs address particularly common problems such as anxiety, depression, behaviour and substance use concerns. Such efficiencies, in turn, can help mitigate Canada’s limited public prevention investments.
• Build on the power of parents. Three of the four programs in the systematic review that produced beneficial outcomes for children included parents (or other caregivers). Consequently, including caregivers may be particularly helpful for prevention efforts.
• Deliver interventions according to need. To optimally support all children, a public mental health strategy should be employed. Such a strategy typically includes promoting healthy development for all children, preventing disorders for those at risk, providing treatment to those with disorders and monitoring outcomes. This approach aligns with efforts to reduce inequities by supporting all children, with an intensity tailored to levels of need.
• Offer programs that build on solid underlying approaches. Two of programs in the systematic review — Strengthening Families and Strong African American Families–Teen — used parenting training, which is backed by many studies showing reduced child behaviour and substance use problems. Similarly, the Super Skills for Life and EMOTION programs used cognitive-behavioural therapy techniques, which are supported by many studies showing reduced child anxiety and depressive symptoms. But there is only one high-quality randomized control trial evaluating each of these four programs for preventing symptoms of concurrent disorders. So replication evaluations are warranted. As well, adaptations may be needed for the Canadian context, including ensuring that content is culturally safe and relevant.
• Consider transdiagnostic interventions with children of varying ages. The four successful interventions in the systematic review were delivered to children spanning ages six to 16. This shows it is possible to use these efficient interventions with children at various of developmental stages.
• Know that effective program delivery can occur in a variety of settings. The four successful programs were delivered to children, and to parents as well in some cases, in community settings including schools. This demonstrates that these programs can be offered in venues that are convenient and accessible for children and families.

Children with one mental health problem often have more than one — resulting in added challenges for them and for their families, and for society when avoidable problems impede young people from flourishing. This systematic review indicates that transdiagnostic prevention programs can effectively and efficiently address multiple mental health needs, including symptoms associated with some of the most common childhood conditions. These programs should therefore be expanded so that more children can be helped. Expansion of transdiagnostic prevention programs may have the added benefit of reducing “downstream” treatment costs.

For more information, see Vol. 17, No. 2 of the Children’s Mental Health Research Quarterly.