Youth Outcomes of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) in the Child Trauma Training Center (CTTC)

Abstract

Objectives: Exposure to trauma among youth is common and can cause behavioral, social and functioning problems. Use of evidence-based trauma treatment can reduce post-traumatic stress (PTSD) symptoms and behavioral problems. This poster highlights the outcomes of youth who participated in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) provided by clinicians who were trained through the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) Child Trauma Training Center (CTTC). Methods: 308 youth ages 6-18 were enrolled into the CTTC evaluation with a mean age of 11.31 years (SD = 3.5); over half were female (58.1%), the majority were white (62.3%) and 37% were Hispanic. Data was collected by clinicians at three different time points: baseline, six-months and discharge through REDCap using the following measures: Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), UCLA PTSD Index and the Social Connectedness survey. Results: The results of the UCLA PTSD Index indicated that youth experienced significantly fewer Re-experiencing (baseline [M = 9.67]; discharge [M = 6.36]), Avoidance/Numbing (baseline [M = 10.55]; discharge [M = 8.63], and Arousal symptoms (baseline [M = 11.46]; discharge [M = 9.02]), as well as less severe symptoms (baseline [M = 33.43]; discharge [M = 24.71]) overall. The CBCL revealed youth experienced fewer Internalizing (baseline [M = 64.51]; discharge [M = 62.18]), Externalizing (baseline [M = 64.51]; discharge [M = 62.18]) and total problem behaviors (baseline [M = 65.48]; discharge [M = 61.82]) overall compared to baseline. Additionally, youth reported significantly better change in Social Connectedness (M = 4.32) compared to baseline (M = 4.06). Conclusion and Discussion: Results of the youth and parent/caregiver reports of PTSD symptoms, behavioral problems and social connectedness indicates that youth and parent/caregivers noticed significantly fewer and less severe PTSD symptoms, fewer behavioral problems and improvement in social connectedness compared to baseline. These results adequately show positive child outcomes as a result of TF-CBT treatment in the context of CTTC’s framework.