Clinician training on trauma-related dissociation in children and adolescents: A pilot feasibility and acceptability...

Dissociation is commonly encountered in mental health services, yet most clinicians lack formal training in its presentation, assessment, and treatment among children and adolescents. This pilot study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a clinician- and lived experience-codesigned 3-hr, in-person training workshop and explored preliminary changes in clinicians' knowledge, confidence, and beliefs about children and adolescents with dissociation.

Forty multidisciplinary clinicians employed in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Western Australia attended a 3-hr, in-person workshop. Participants completed pre- and posttraining surveys assessing feasibility, acceptability, knowledge, confidence, and beliefs about children and adolescents with dissociation, alongside qualitative feedback.

The training was highly acceptable to clinicians and feasible to deliver within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Dependent-samples t tests showed significant pre-post improvements with "moderate" to "very large" effect sizes in participants' ratings of training usefulness and relevance (d = 0.61), knowledge (d = 1.52), and confidence working with children and adolescents with dissociation (d = 1.16). Empathy toward children and adolescents with dissociation improved (d = 0.62), and endorsement of negative beliefs decreased (ds from 0.55 to 0.75). Qualitative feedback emphasized the training's usefulness and a desire for longer workshops to consolidate and translate new knowledge into practice.

A codesigned, targeted, relatively brief training can enhance clinicians' knowledge and confidence to recognize, assess, and treat dissociation in children and adolescents, supporting continuation of this research in a larger trial. Incorporating such content into graduate curricula and workplace professional development may help address a critical gap in child and adolescent mental health care. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).