Treatment of PTSD in children

The present study aims to examine the effectiveness of a brief intensive exposure therapy for children with PTSD. The new treatment program makes use of proven effective therapy techniques in processing the trauma and decreasing PTSD symptoms in children, whereas the delivery of the treatment is using a new format: one week of intensive trauma-focused treatment while including a trauma-related social support program for family members.



Country of Recruitment: The Netherlands

The present study aims at the improvement of the treatment of children with PTSD
by examining the effectiveness of a brief intensive exposure therapy (IET) for children with PTSD using a multiple baseline design (patients are randomly assigned to baseline length).

Time points of primary interest (primary outcome)

Weekly during:

- Baseline length (varying from 4 to 8 weeks before treatment)

- Treatment length (5 weeks)

- Post treatment length (varying from 4 to 8 weeks after treatment)

- Follow up length (during 4 weeks, 3 months after treatment)

Time points secondary outcomes

- before treatment (A0)

- three weeks after baseline (A1)

- three months after baseline (A2)

- and six months after baseline (A3)

Brief intensive modified exposure therapy and a trauma-related social support program for family members:

5 days (one week), offered in three blocks of 90 minutes each day and up to three follow up appointments (90 minutes each)