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Treating sexually abused children with posttraumatic stress symptoms: a randomized clinical trial
N J King1, B J Tonge, P Mullen
1Faculty of Education, Monash University, Victoria, Australia. neville.king@education.monash.edu.au
Objective:
To evaluate the efficacy of child and caregiver participation in the cognitive-behavioral treatment of sexually abused children with posttraumatic stress symptoms.
Method:
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.