title: A Follow-Up Study from a Multisite, Randomized Controlled Trial for Traumatized Children Receiving TF-CBT.
abstract: Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) is the treatment of choice for traumatized youth, however, follow-up studies are scarce, and treatment effects for co-occurring depression show mixed findings. The aims of this study were to examine whether treatment effects of TF-CBT are maintained at 18 month follow-up and whether degree of co-occurring depression influences treatment effects. As rapid improvement in psychological functioning is warranted for youth, we also investigated whether the symptom trajectory was different for TF-CBT compared to therapy as usual (TAU). The sample consisted of 156 youth (M age = 15.05, 79.50% girls) randomly assigned to TF-CBT or TAU. The youth were assessed for posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), depression, anxiety and general mental health symptoms. Mixed effects analyses followed the symptom courses over 5 time points. Youth receiving TF-CBT maintained their symptom improvement at 18 months follow-up with scores below clinical cut-of on all symptom measures. The most depressed youth had also a significant decline in symptoms that were maintained at follow-up. Symptom trajectories differed as the TF-CBT group reported a more rapid symptom reduction compared to the TAU condition. In the TAU condition, participants received 1.5 times the number of treatment sessions compared to the TF-CBT participants. After 18 months the groups were significantly different on general mental health symptoms only. In conclusion, youth receiving TF-CBT experienced more efficient improvement in trauma related symptoms than youth receiving TAU and these improvements were maintained after 18 months. Also youth experiencing serious co-occurring depression benefitted from TF-CBT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, PO Box 1094, Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway. tine.jensen@psykologi.uio.no.|Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, PO Box 181, Nydalen, 0409, Oslo, Norway. tine.jensen@psykologi.uio.no.
authors.forename: Tine K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, PO Box 181, Nydalen, 0409, Oslo, Norway.|Mental & Physical health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 4404, Nydalen, 0403, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Tonje
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, PO Box 181, Nydalen, 0409, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Silje M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ormhaug
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Depression; Follow-up; PTSD; TF-CBT; Trauma treatment