Definition for Trauma Treatment - Client-Level Interventions (Child & Adolescent):
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.
Target population: Children and adolescents who have experienced trauma. A diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is not required.
Services/types that fit: Typically outpatient services, such as individual, family, or group
Delivered by: Mental health professionals
In order to be included: Program must specifically target trauma treatment as a goal
In order to be rated: There must be research evidence (as specified by Scientific Rating Scale) that examines trauma-related outcomes, such as changes in symptom levels, behaviors, and/or functioning
Children and adolescents who have experienced trauma; research has been conducted on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), posttraumatic stress, phobias, and ...
School-age children between ages 6-12 and adolescents who have experienced traumatic events, have a breakdown in emotionally supportive relationships, and ...
Females 12 - 24 years old with substance abuse and/or trauma
Why was this topic chosen by the Advisory Committee?
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
Topic Expert
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.
