Trauma-focused cognitive behaviour therapy versus treatment as usual for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in young children aged 3 to 8 years: Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Tim Dalgleish, Benjamin Goodall, Isobel Chadwick, Aliza Werner-Seidler, Anna McKinnon, Nicola Morant, Susanne Schweizer, Inderpal Panesar, Ayla Humphrey, Peter Watson, Louise Lafortune, Patrick Smith, Richard Meiser-Stedman

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Abstract

Following horrific or life-threatening events approximately 10 to 15% of young children develop post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The symptoms of this disorder are distressing - nightmares, flashbacks, anger outbursts and disturbed play. These symptoms cause major disruption to a child's functioning and, if left untreated, can persist for many years. As yet, there are no established empirically-validated treatments for PTSD in young children. Trauma-focused cognitive behaviour therapy (TF-CBT) is a psychological intervention that is effective in treating the disorder in older children (8 to 12 years), adolescents and adults. This study examines TF-CBT adapted for children aged between 3 and 8 years.
Original languageEnglish
Article number116
JournalTrials
Volume16
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 25 Mar 2015

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