Examining caregiver-adolescent symptom agreement and its influence on treatment outcomes: a quantitative analysis

Informant discrepancies were common and clinically meaningful, particularly among gender-diverse adolescents and families reporting lower functioning. Although overall agreement did not predict treatment completion, caregiver perceptions of greater symptom severity were linked to greater reductions in adolescent depression and anxiety over treatment. These findings suggest that incorporating caregiver perspectives into assessment and treatment planning may enhance outcomes, especially in high-acuity virtual care settings. Future research should investigate mechanisms through which caregiver engagement influences adolescent symptom change over time.