Feasibility and Acceptability of the Primary Care Intervention for PTSD-Youth

Exposure to traumatic events is common among children in the United States and many go on to develop trauma-related psychological symptoms without access to adequate outpatient mental health care. Integrating mental health interventions within primary care settings represent a promising strategy to increase access, but there is not currently an appropriate trauma-focused intervention for children in these settings. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of an intervention newly adapted utilizing the ADAPT Framework: The Primary Care Intervention for PTSD-Youth.

Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with expert mental health providers who specialize in pediatric PTSD (N = 15), including those with experience in integrated primary care, to obtain feedback on PCIP-Y acceptability, feasibility, and recommendations for improvement. Interviews were analyzed using consensual content analysis to identify themes related to intervention usability, acceptability, and feasibility of implementation.

Three primary themes emerged: intervention acceptability, intervention feasibility, and intervention adaptations and recommendations. Providers generally viewed the intervention as appropriate, acceptable, and feasible to implement in primary care settings.

Findings provide preliminary evidence that The Primary Care Intervention for PTSD-Youth is a feasible, acceptable, and promising intervention for targeting trauma-related symptoms among children in primary care settings. Future research should evaluate the intervention's efficacy and effectiveness in clinical practice.