title: Case report: manualized trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy with an unaccompanied refugee minor girl.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is uncertainty whether young traumatized refugees should be treated with culturally adapted psychotherapy or with an evidence-based western approach. As yet, empirical studies on culturally adapted treatments for unaccompanied young refugees in industrialized host countries are not available. Studies do, however, suggest that trauma-focused treatment is promising for this group.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We describe the treatment of an unaccompanied refugee minor girl with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who underwent manualized trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT; Cohen, Mannarino, & Deblinger, 2006).
  
  
  METHODS
  A 17-year-old girl from East Africa, who came to Germany without a caregiver, was treated for PTSD resulting from several traumatic experiences and losses in her home country and while fleeing. She lived in a group home for adolescents. Baseline, post, and follow-up data are reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The girl participated in 12 sessions of manualized TF-CBT. Her caregiver from the youth services received another 12 sessions in line with the treatment manual. Symptoms decreased in a clinically significant manner; at the end of the treatment, the girl was deemed to have recovered from PTSD. Treatment success remained stable over 6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Manualized TF-CBT is feasible for young refugees without significant cultural adaptations. It can, however, be seen as culturally sensitive.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Biological Psychology, Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Eichstätt, Germany; johanna.unterhitzenberger@ku.de.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Unterhitzenberger
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Biological Psychology, Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Eichstätt, Germany.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosner
keywords: PTSD; adolescent; asylum-seeking; manualized; psychotherapy; refugee; separated; trauma-focused; treatment