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Treatment expectancy, working alliance, and outcome of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with children and adolescents.

ABSTRACT: Background:It has been shown that positive treatment expectancy (TE) and good working alliance increase psychotherapeutic success in adult patients, either directly or mediated by other common treatment factors like collaboration. However, the effects of TE in psychotherapy with children, adolescents and their caregivers are mostly unknown. Due to characteristics of the disorder such as avoidant behavior, common factors may be especially important in evidence-based treatment of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), e.g. for the initiation of exposure based techniques. Methods:TE, collaboration, working alliance and PTSS were assessed in 65 children and adolescents (age M = 12.5; SD = 2.9) and their caregivers. Patients' and caregivers' TE were assessed before initiation of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). Patients' and caregivers' working alliance, as well as patients' collaboration were assessed at mid-treatment, patients' PTSS at pre- and post-treatment. Path analysis tested both direct and indirect effects (by collaboration and working alliance) of pre-treatment TE on post-treatment PTSS, and on PTSS difference scores. Results:Patients' or caregivers' TE did not directly predict PTSS after TF-CBT. Post-treatment PTSS was not predicted by patients' or caregivers' TE via patients' collaboration or patients' or caregivers' working alliance. Caregivers' working alliance with therapists significantly contributed to the reduction of PTSS in children and adolescents (post-treatment PTSS: ? = - 0.553; p < 0.001; PTSS difference score: ? = 0.335; p = 0.031). Conclusions:TE seems less important than caregivers' working alliance in TF-CBT for decreasing PTSS. Future studies should assess TE and working alliance repeatedly during treatment and from different perspectives to understand their effects on outcome. The inclusion of a supportive caregiver and the formation of a good relationship between therapists and caregivers can be regarded as essential for treatment success in children and adolescents with PTSS.

SUBMITTER: Kirsch V

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5836360 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Treatment expectancy, working alliance, and outcome of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with children and adolescents.

Kirsch Veronica V Keller Ferdinand F Tutus Dunja D Goldbeck Lutz L

Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health 20180305

<h4>Background</h4>It has been shown that positive treatment expectancy (TE) and good working alliance increase psychotherapeutic success in adult patients, either directly or mediated by other common treatment factors like collaboration. However, the effects of TE in psychotherapy with children, adolescents and their caregivers are mostly unknown. Due to characteristics of the disorder such as avoidant behavior, common factors may be especially important in evidence-based treatment of posttraum ...[more]

PMID: 29515647

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Project description:ImportanceOrphans and vulnerable children (OVC) are at high risk for experiencing trauma and related psychosocial problems. Despite this, no randomized clinical trials have studied evidence-based treatments for OVC in low-resource settings.ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of lay counselor-provided trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) to address trauma and stress-related symptoms among OVC in Lusaka, Zambia.Design, setting, and participantsThis randomized clinical trial compared TF-CBT and treatment as usual (TAU) (varying by site) for children recruited from August 1, 2012, through July 31, 2013, and treated until December 31, 2013, for trauma-related symptoms from 5 community sites within Lusaka, Zambia. Children were aged 5 through 18 years and had experienced at least one traumatic event and reported significant trauma-related symptoms. Analysis was with intent to treat.InterventionsThe intervention group received 10 to 16 sessions of TF-CBT (n = 131). The TAU group (n = 126) received usual community services offered to OVC.Main outcomes and measuresThe primary outcome was mean item change in trauma and stress-related symptoms using a locally validated version of the UCLA Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (range, 0-4) and functional impairment using a locally developed measure (range, 0-4). Outcomes were measured at baseline and within 1 month after treatment completion or after a waiting period of approximately 4.5 months after baseline for TAU.ResultsAt follow-up, the mean item change in trauma symptom score was -1.54 (95% CI, -1.81 to -1.27), a reduction of 81.9%, for the TF-CBT group and -0.37 (95% CI, -0.57 to -0.17), a reduction of 21.1%, for the TAU group. The mean item change for functioning was -0.76 (95% CI, -0.98 to -0.54), a reduction of 89.4%, and -0.54 (95% CI, -0.80 to -0.29), a reduction of 68.3%, for the TF-CBT and TAU groups, respectively. The difference in change between groups was statistically significant for both outcomes (P < .001). The effect size (Cohen d) was 2.39 for trauma symptoms and 0.34 for functioning. Lay counselors participated in supervision and assessed whether the intervention was provided with fidelity in all 5 community settings.Conclusions and relevanceThe TF-CBT adapted for Zambia substantially decreased trauma and stress-related symptoms and produced a smaller improvement in functional impairment among OVC having experienced high levels of trauma.Trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01624298.

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Treatment expectancy, working alliance, and outcome of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with children and adolescents.

Publications

Treatment expectancy, working alliance, and outcome of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with children and adolescents.

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