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Putting the pieces together: preliminary efficacy of a family problem-solving intervention for children with
Shari L Wade1, Linda Michaud, Tanya Maines Brown
1Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Ohio 45229, USA. shari.wade@cchmc.org
Insights
A family-centered problem-solving intervention significantly reduced internalizing symptoms and anxiety/depression in children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). This approach shows promise for addressing common TBI-related behavioral issues.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurology
- Child psychology
- Rehabilitation medicine
Background:
- Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) often leads to persistent behavioral problems.
- Effective interventions are needed to support children and families post-TBI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a family-centered problem-solving intervention (FPS) for pediatric TBI.
- To evaluate the efficacy of the FPS intervention through a randomized clinical trial.
Main Methods:
- 32 school-aged children with moderate to severe TBI were randomized into either the FPS or usual care (UC) group.
- The FPS group received a seven-session problem-solving/skill-building intervention over 6 months.
- Child behavior and psychological symptoms were assessed using standardized measures.
Main Results:
- Parents in the FPS group reported significant improvements in their children's internalizing symptoms.
- Children in the FPS group showed greater reductions in anxiety/depression and withdrawal compared to the UC group.
Conclusions:
- The family-centered problem-solving intervention (FPS) demonstrates potential for mitigating behavioral issues in pediatric TBI.
- FPS may be a valuable approach for managing common and lasting sequelae of TBI.
Objective:
To describe a family-centered problem-solving intervention (FPS) for pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI), and to assess the efficacy of the intervention in a randomized clinical trial.
Participants:
Families of 32 school-aged children with moderate to severe TBI randomly assigned to FPS or usual care (UC) group.
Main Outcome Measures:
Child Behavior Checklist, Brief Symptom Inventory, Conflict Behavior Questionnaire.
Intervention:
Seven-session problem-solving/skill-building intervention delivered over a 6-month period for the participating families.
Results:
Parents in the FPS group reported significantly greater improvements in their children in internalizing symptoms, anxiety/depression, and withdrawal than did parents in the UC comparison group.
Conclusions:
FPS holds promise for reducing child behavior problems, the most common and persistent sequelae of TBI.
