A recent study conducted by researchers at the Yale Child Study Center (YCSC) provides new evidence of the effectiveness of the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI), a brief, evidence-based early mental health treatment developed at Yale. The CFTSI is the only treatment developed specifically for implementation with children during the early phase of trauma response, soon after a recent traumatic event.
Findings were described in an article, "The Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention: Factors Associated with Symptom Reduction for Children Receiving Treatment" published in the international journal Child Abuse and Neglect.
As outlined in the article, study findings revealed a significant reduction in child reported post-traumatic stress symptoms after completion of CFTSI. There were no statistically significant differences in symptom reduction based on age, gender, ethnicity, race, number of prior trauma types experienced by the child, caregiver post-traumatic stress symptoms, child relationship to the perpetrator, nature of event, or length of time to begin treatment, according to the researchers.
“This study provides further evidence that CFTSI can reduce child post-traumatic stress symptoms when implemented by community-based providers who work with a wide range of children and families of many different backgrounds and experiences,” commented study co-author Carrie Epstein, co-director of the Yale Center for Traumatic Stress and Recovery (YCTSR) at the YCSC.
This study provides further evidence that CFTSI can reduce child post-traumatic stress symptoms when implemented by community-based providers who work with a wide range of children and families of many different backgrounds and experiences.
Carrie Epstein
The CFTSI, developed by Epstein and YCTSR Co-Director Steven Marans, involves 5 to 8 sessions of an evidence-based early mental health treatment that is the only treatment model developed specifically for implementation with children, adolescents, and their caregivers during the early phase of trauma response, soon after a recent exposure to a potentially traumatic event or after a recent disclosure of physical or sexual abuse.
“CFTSI has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing traumatic stress symptoms and reducing or interrupting PTSD and related disorders, including for children who have had extensive trauma histories prior to the most recent event that precipitated their referral for CFTSI,” said Marans. “In addition, CFTSI helps reduce the need for longer-term care, decreasing demand for longer-term treatment and allowing for more children to be served.”