Cognitive-behavioral therapy for PTSD in children and adolescents: A preliminary randomized controlled trial.
Author
Summary, in English
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of individual trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children and young people. Method: Following a 4-week symptom-monitoring baseline period, 24 children and young people (8Y18 years old) who met full DSM-IV PTSD diagnostic criteria after experiencing single-incident traumatic events (motor vehicle accidents, interpersonal violence, or witnessing violence) were randomly allocated to a 10-week course of individual CBT or to placement on a waitlist (WL) for 10 weeks. Results: Compared to the WL group, participants who received CBT showed significantly greater improvement in symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety, with significantly better functioning. After CBT, 92% of participants no longer met criteria for PTSD; after WL, 42% of participants no longer met criteria. CBT gains were maintained at 6-month follow-up. Effects of CBT were partially mediated by changes in maladaptive cognitions, as predicted by cognitive models of PTSD. Conclusions: Individual trauma-focused CBT is an effective treatment for PTSD in children and young people.
Publishing year
2007
Language
English
Pages
1051-1061
Publication/Series
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Volume
46
Issue
8
Links
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Elsevier
Topic
- Psychology
Keywords
- cognitive-behavioral therapy.
- Posttraumatic stress disorder
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 0890-8567