Trauma Treatment - Client-Level Interventions (Child & Adolescent) are defined by the CEBC as interventions designed to help an individual process a trauma or multiple traumas they have experienced and learn how to cope with the feelings associated with the experience (e.g., fear, posttraumatic stress, anxiety, depression, etc.). Click here to see the overall Trauma Treatment (Child & Adolescent) topic area page.
Please note that interventions for anxiety that do not include a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or trauma focus can be found in the Anxiety Treatment topic area.
Downloadable Topic Area Summary
Trauma Treatment - Client-Level Interventions (Child & Adolescent) are defined by the CEBC as interventions designed to help an individual process a trauma or multiple traumas they have experienced and learn how to cope with the feelings associated with the experience (e.g., fear, posttraumatic stress, anxiety, depression, etc.). Click here to see the overall Trauma Treatment (Child & Adolescent) topic area page.
Please note that interventions for anxiety that do not include a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or trauma focus can be found in the Anxiety Treatment topic area.
Downloadable Topic Area Summary
Children and adolescents who have experienced trauma; research has been conducted on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), posttraumatic stress, phobias, and other mental health disorders
Refugee children suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Adolescents who have experienced a trauma (e.g., sexual assault, car accident, violent crimes, etc.); has also been used with children 6 to 12 years of age and adults who have experienced a trauma
Children with a known trauma history who are experiencing significant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, whether or not they meet full diagnostic criteria. In addition, children with depression, anxiety, and/or shame related to their traumatic exposure. Children experiencing childhood traumatic grief can also benefit from the treatment.
Children age 0-5, who have experienced a trauma, and their caregivers
Preadolescent children (ages 9-11) who have current or previous child welfare involvement due to one or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
Caregiver and their child between the ages 5 and 17 years whose family struggles with conflict and/or coercion due to parent, child, and/or overall family behavior(e.g., anger, aggression, physical abuse)
Children in elementary school grades Kindergarten through 5th grade (ages 5-11) who have experienced traumatic events
Children ages 7-18 recently exposed to a potentially traumatic event, or having recently disclosed physical or sexual abuse, and endorsing at least one symptom of posttraumatic stress
3rd through 8th grade students who screened positive for exposure to a traumatic event and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder related to that event, largely focusing on community violence exposure; may be used with older students as well
Children ages 3-17 and their parents (or caregivers) in families where parents engage in a continuum of coercive parenting strategies and children may present with PTSD symptoms, depression, behavioral problems and other difficulties
Youth ages 8-18 with a chronic history of trauma, adversity, and ongoing stress
Children and adolescents who have been traumatized and suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), symptoms of PTSD, or anxiety
Teens (13 to 18 years of age) with emotional and behavior problems
Children who are experiencing grief and posttraumatic stress
3-6 year old children with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms
Trauma-exposed adolescents aged 13-18 years who experience co-occurring trauma-related mental health problems (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD], depression), substance use problems, and other risk behaviors (e.g., risky sexual behavior, non-suicidal self-injury)
At-risk and adjudicated youth, ages 12-17, with a history of trauma and/or loss
Adolescents with a history of trauma and/or substance abuse
Children (3-12) experiencing posttraumatic stress symptoms and their caregivers
Youth in late elementary school through early high school (ages 10-16) who have experienced traumatic events and who are experiencing moderate to severe levels of PTSD symptoms
Children ages 3-18 years who have experienced trauma and, optionally, their caregivers
Youth ages 10-18 with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Children and adolescents in schools who have suffered a traumatic exposure (e.g., disaster, violence, murder, suicide, fire, accidents)
Adolescent males or females aged 12-20 from a broad spectrum of socioeconomic, religious, cultural and ethnic groups who have been exposed to trauma, loss, or a combination of the two
Children/adolescents/young adults (0-21 years) who have experienced chronic/complex trauma and their caregiving systems (e.g., primary, resource, and/or others in their social environment)
Children and adolescents ages (0-17) who have experienced early childhood trauma, such as abuse, neglect, or inconsistent caregiving and their families/caregivers
Caregivers (e.g., biological, foster, relative, adoptive) of children from birth to18 years of age whose trauma histories and present day stress exposures interfere with the ability to benefit from child- and youth-focused trauma treatments
At-risk children ages 6-12 with a history of trauma or loss
Adolescents and young adults who have been multiply traumatized
Children and adolescents in the immediate aftermath of a disaster or terrorism
School-age children between ages 6-12 and adolescents who have experienced traumatic events, have a breakdown in emotionally supportive relationships, and show symptoms of traumatic stress/Complex Trauma including high risk behaviors and developmental delays; can also be used alongside other programs to engage/sustain engagement of children and caregivers with Complex Trauma, intellectual deficits and developmental delays
Children and adolescents who experience trauma, are exposed to natural disasters, or experience chronic pain; also used with adults
Families living in traumatic contexts who are vulnerable
Traumatized adolescents with a history of exposure to chronic interpersonal trauma (such as ongoing physical abuse) and/or separate types of trauma (e.g. community violence, sexual assault), many of whom are still living with ongoing stress and unstable environments and/or complexly traumatized adolescents with or without current/lifetime PTSD
Children and adolescents with trauma or anxiety or depression related symptoms; intervention also used with adults
Caregivers and their children ages 3-18 burdened by the symptoms and behaviors of unresolved impact of historical or recent traumatic events.
Children and adolescents who have experienced trauma and their parents/caregivers
The combination of a traumatized child/adolescent who, when exposed to trauma reminders, has difficulty regulating their emotions and behavior and their caregiver/system of care who is not able to adequately protect the youth or help them to manage these survival in the moment states
Young sexually abused children who may be victims of other forms of trauma as well, including physical abuse, neglect, witnessing domestic violence, placement in foster care, etc.
Females 12 - 24 years old with substance abuse and/or trauma
Children and adolescents who have experienced trauma; research has been conducted on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), posttraumatic stress, phobias, and other mental health disorders
Refugee children suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Adolescents who have experienced a trauma (e.g., sexual assault, car accident, violent crimes, etc.); has also been used with children 6 to 12 years of age and adults who have experienced a trauma
Children with a known trauma history who are experiencing significant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, whether or not they meet full diagnostic criteria. In addition, children with depression, anxiety, and/or shame related to their traumatic exposure. Children experiencing childhood traumatic grief can also benefit from the treatment.
Children age 0-5, who have experienced a trauma, and their caregivers
Preadolescent children (ages 9-11) who have current or previous child welfare involvement due to one or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
Caregiver and their child between the ages 5 and 17 years whose family struggles with conflict and/or coercion due to parent, child, and/or overall family behavior(e.g., anger, aggression, physical abuse)
Children in elementary school grades Kindergarten through 5th grade (ages 5-11) who have experienced traumatic events
Children ages 7-18 recently exposed to a potentially traumatic event, or having recently disclosed physical or sexual abuse, and endorsing at least one symptom of posttraumatic stress
3rd through 8th grade students who screened positive for exposure to a traumatic event and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder related to that event, largely focusing on community violence exposure; may be used with older students as well
Children ages 3-17 and their parents (or caregivers) in families where parents engage in a continuum of coercive parenting strategies and children may present with PTSD symptoms, depression, behavioral problems and other difficulties
Youth ages 8-18 with a chronic history of trauma, adversity, and ongoing stress
Children and adolescents who have been traumatized and suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), symptoms of PTSD, or anxiety
Teens (13 to 18 years of age) with emotional and behavior problems
Children who are experiencing grief and posttraumatic stress
3-6 year old children with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms
Trauma-exposed adolescents aged 13-18 years who experience co-occurring trauma-related mental health problems (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD], depression), substance use problems, and other risk behaviors (e.g., risky sexual behavior, non-suicidal self-injury)
At-risk and adjudicated youth, ages 12-17, with a history of trauma and/or loss
Adolescents with a history of trauma and/or substance abuse
Children (3-12) experiencing posttraumatic stress symptoms and their caregivers
Youth in late elementary school through early high school (ages 10-16) who have experienced traumatic events and who are experiencing moderate to severe levels of PTSD symptoms
Children ages 3-18 years who have experienced trauma and, optionally, their caregivers
Youth ages 10-18 with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Children and adolescents in schools who have suffered a traumatic exposure (e.g., disaster, violence, murder, suicide, fire, accidents)
Adolescent males or females aged 12-20 from a broad spectrum of socioeconomic, religious, cultural and ethnic groups who have been exposed to trauma, loss, or a combination of the two
Children/adolescents/young adults (0-21 years) who have experienced chronic/complex trauma and their caregiving systems (e.g., primary, resource, and/or others in their social environment)
Children and adolescents ages (0-17) who have experienced early childhood trauma, such as abuse, neglect, or inconsistent caregiving and their families/caregivers
Caregivers (e.g., biological, foster, relative, adoptive) of children from birth to18 years of age whose trauma histories and present day stress exposures interfere with the ability to benefit from child- and youth-focused trauma treatments
At-risk children ages 6-12 with a history of trauma or loss
Adolescents and young adults who have been multiply traumatized
Children and adolescents in the immediate aftermath of a disaster or terrorism
School-age children between ages 6-12 and adolescents who have experienced traumatic events, have a breakdown in emotionally supportive relationships, and show symptoms of traumatic stress/Complex Trauma including high risk behaviors and developmental delays; can also be used alongside other programs to engage/sustain engagement of children and caregivers with Complex Trauma, intellectual deficits and developmental delays
Children and adolescents who experience trauma, are exposed to natural disasters, or experience chronic pain; also used with adults
Families living in traumatic contexts who are vulnerable
Traumatized adolescents with a history of exposure to chronic interpersonal trauma (such as ongoing physical abuse) and/or separate types of trauma (e.g. community violence, sexual assault), many of whom are still living with ongoing stress and unstable environments and/or complexly traumatized adolescents with or without current/lifetime PTSD
Children and adolescents with trauma or anxiety or depression related symptoms; intervention also used with adults
Caregivers and their children ages 3-18 burdened by the symptoms and behaviors of unresolved impact of historical or recent traumatic events.
Children and adolescents who have experienced trauma and their parents/caregivers
The combination of a traumatized child/adolescent who, when exposed to trauma reminders, has difficulty regulating their emotions and behavior and their caregiver/system of care who is not able to adequately protect the youth or help them to manage these survival in the moment states
Young sexually abused children who may be victims of other forms of trauma as well, including physical abuse, neglect, witnessing domestic violence, placement in foster care, etc.
Females 12 - 24 years old with substance abuse and/or trauma
The Trauma Treatment - Client-Level Interventions (Child & Adolescent) topic area is relevant to child welfare because the effect of the trauma that abuse and neglect causes to children is detrimental and pervasive. While it is known that research exists on the most effective ways to treat traumatized children, the child welfare community has not widely focused on this research. Child welfare courts and counties regularly refer children to treatment, but have little information on the therapeutic methods being used by individual practitioners or agencies that provide treatment to traumatized children. If counties and courts are aware of the practices that have shown to be most effective for managing the impact of physical and sexual abuse, as well as exposure to domestic violence and neglect, referrals can be made to agencies that utilize these practices. This would increase the safety and well-being of the children they serve. In addition, the selection of effective therapies could have an impact on assisting children to adjust and stabilize in out-of-home placement, thereby impacting permanency.
Deborah Reeves, MSW
Former CEBC Advisory Committee Member
The Trauma Treatment - Client-Level Interventions (Child & Adolescent) topic area is relevant to child welfare because the effect of the trauma that abuse and neglect causes to children is detrimental and pervasive. While it is known that research exists on the most effective ways to treat traumatized children, the child welfare community has not widely focused on this research. Child welfare courts and counties regularly refer children to treatment, but have little information on the therapeutic methods being used by individual practitioners or agencies that provide treatment to traumatized children. If counties and courts are aware of the practices that have shown to be most effective for managing the impact of physical and sexual abuse, as well as exposure to domestic violence and neglect, referrals can be made to agencies that utilize these practices. This would increase the safety and well-being of the children they serve. In addition, the selection of effective therapies could have an impact on assisting children to adjust and stabilize in out-of-home placement, thereby impacting permanency.
Deborah Reeves, MSW
Former CEBC Advisory Committee Member
When the CEBC launched in 2006, Trauma Treatment (Child & Adolescent) was one of its two original topic areas. Benjamin E. Saunders, PhD, was the topic expert and was involved in identifying and rating any of the programs with an original load date of June 2006 (as found on the bottom of the program's page on the CEBC). The topic area has grown over the years and in 2016, the topic area was split and expanded. All of the Trauma Treatment - Client-Level Interventions (Child & Adolescent) added since 2006 were identified by CEBC staff, the Scientific Panel, and/or the Advisory Committee. For these programs, Dr. Saunders was not involved in identifying or rating them.
When the CEBC launched in 2006, Trauma Treatment (Child & Adolescent) was one of its two original topic areas. Benjamin E. Saunders, PhD, was the topic expert and was involved in identifying and rating any of the programs with an original load date of June 2006 (as found on the bottom of the program's page on the CEBC). The topic area has grown over the years and in 2016, the topic area was split and expanded. All of the Trauma Treatment - Client-Level Interventions (Child & Adolescent) added since 2006 were identified by CEBC staff, the Scientific Panel, and/or the Advisory Committee. For these programs, Dr. Saunders was not involved in identifying or rating them.
