Comparing the Effectiveness of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy for Youth Psychosocial and Academic Outcomes in Schools between the U.S. and East Asian Studies: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) has become one of the popular evidence-supported interventions practiced in school settings across different countries. Despite the evidence that supports the practical use of SFBT with various populations and its effectiveness, particularly among clients of East Asian heritage, no systematic review and meta-analysis (SR/MA) studies on the effectiveness of SFBT in school settings between U.S. and East Asian studies (e.g., Chinese, Korean, and Japanese) have been completed. Building on a previous SR/MA that examined SFBT in school settings in China and the US, this SR/MA aims to: 1) examine the treatment effects of SFBT on youth outcomes in school settings, 2) compare the treatment effects of SFBT on youth outcomes across countries (i.e., U.S., China, Korea, and Japan), and 3) explore the moderating effects of country on SFBT treatment effects for youth outcomes.

Method: This SR/MA followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. A literature search was conducted across 14 electronic databases with three sets of keywords representing “SFBT”, “school”, and “effectiveness.” Studies that were published from 1995 to 2022 and reported at least one out of eight outcome categories related to psychosocial and academic adjustment outcomes (e.g., internalizing behavior problems, academic behaviors, and overall well-being) for school-aged individuals were included. Dissertation abstracts and grey literature were also searched through Google Scholar. Search strategies resulted in 1,119 from U.S., 116 from Chinese, 130 from Korean, and none from Japanese studies for initial screening. Out of these, 110 studies met the inclusion criteria for data abstraction and were used for analysis. All studies were translated and verified by five bilingual co-authors and one trilingual researcher.

Result: Results showed significant treatment effects of SFBT across countries regardless of publication type, study design, Tier, and integrity. Comparison of the treatment effect size across countries through subgroup analysis revealed a significant difference between U.S. studies and Korean studies (b₁ = 0.34, p < .001), while no differences were found between U.S. studies and Chinese studies (b₁ = 0.18, p = 0.20). Country was identified as a significant treatment effect moderator, with findings suggesting SFBT being more effective for Korean youth with mental health, academic, and interpersonal relationship challenges in schools than their U.S. counterparts.

Conclusion: The findings expand the existing evidence on the effectiveness of SFBT by conducting a comparative analysis across East Asian countries and the U.S., suggesting that SFBT is a promising and research-supported school-based intervention for East Asian and East Asian American students. By integrating SFBT techniques with East Asian values into intervention programs, SFBT can be implemented in a culturally responsive manner to support students with East Asian heritage, leading to a more inclusive school environment.