Abstract
Cognitive-behavioural techniques in clinical and health problems: meta-analysis of spanish literature. In this paper the results of a meta-analytic review about the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural techniques in the treatment of subjects with clinical and health problems are presented. An exhaustive literature search enabled us to identify 26 empirical papers carried out in Spain between 1980 and 1997, giving a total of 34 independent studies. The standardised mean difference was the effect size index chosen to summarise the results of the studies, reaching in postest measures an average value of d+ = 1.268, although it was reduced at almost 50% in follow-up measures (d+ = 0.768). The results showed statistically significant differences among the different techniques, being coping skills the most effective (d+ = 1.431) followed by cognitive restructuring (d+ =1.130). The influence of other moderator variables are also analysed and, finally, clinical and theoretical implications of the results to future research are discussed.
