title: Treating sexually abused children with posttraumatic stress symptoms: a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of child and caregiver participation in the cognitive-behavioral treatment of sexually abused children with posttraumatic stress symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six sexually abused children (aged 5-17 years) were randomly assigned to a child-alone cognitive-behavioral treatment condition, a family cognitive-behavioral treatment condition, or a waiting-list control condition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with controls, children who received treatment exhibited significant improvements in posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and self-reports of fear and anxiety. Significant improvements also occurred in relation to parent-completed measures and clinician ratings of global functioning. In general, parental involvement did not improve the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Maintenance of improvement was evident at a 12-week follow-up assessment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cognitive-behavioral treatment was useful, but further research is required on caregiver involvement.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education, Monash University, Victoria, Australia. neville.king@education.monash.edu.au
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Tonge
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mullen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Myerson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heyne
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rollings
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Ollendick
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy; D008297:Male; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome