Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)

Psychosocial treatment model designed to treat post-traumatic stress and related emotional and behavioral problems for children and adolescents. Addresses psychological trauma associated with several traumatic experiences, such as: sexual abuse, domestic violence, traumatic loss, and often multiple psychological traumas experiences by children prior to foster care. Treatment initially provided in individual sessions with children then parents are gradually introduced.

Reduced Child behavior problems, reduced Child symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), reduced Child depression
and Child feelings of shame
5: Parental emotional reaction to child's experience of sexual abuse Children assigned to TF-CBT, as opposed to child-centered therapy (CCT), demonstrated significantly more improvement with regards to PTSD, depression, behavior problems, shame and abuse-related attributions. Parents assigned to TF-CBT also showed greater improvement on self-reported levels of depression, abuse-specific distress, support of the child, and effective parenting practices.

Esther Deblinger, PhD Anthony Mannarino, PhD [amannari@wpahs.org ] (implementation) Judith Cohen, MD [jcohen1@wpahs.org] (research)

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey West Pennsylvania Allegheny Health System

deblines@umdnj.edu

(856) 566-7036 (412) 330-4312 (412) 330-4321