From efficacy to effectiveness: the trajectory of the treatment literature for children with PTSD

Abstract

This review summarizes efficacious treatments for preschoolers, children and adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder, with a focus on the advances made within the last 5 years. There is considerable support for the use of trauma-specific cognitive–behavioral interventions, in both individual and group formats. The research on psychopharmacological treatments lags behind that of psychotherapy and is currently inconclusive. Limitations of the studies are discussed and treatments that warrant further consideration are reviewed. The authors also review current advances in effectiveness and suggest future directions that are important in generalizing the interventions to underserved and hard to reach populations. The article concludes with the authors’ projections for the evolution of the field within the upcoming 5 years.

Keywords::

• childhood PTSD
• culture
• effectiveness
• efficacy
• group treatment
• individual treatment
• post-traumatic stress disorde
• psychopharmacological intervention
• PTSD prevalence
• trauma
• trauma-specific cognitive–behavioral treatment

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the PARTNERS team for their help and support in preparing this review. We would particularly like to acknowledge Erin M Burns.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this review manuscript.