Trauma therapy in Norwich study helps children recover from PTSD
A major study led by the University of East Anglia shows trauma-focused therapy can improve recovery for children who have experienced multiple traumatic events such as abuse, violence or accidents.
A clinical trial tested trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) on 120 children aged between eight and 17 who had been through more than one trauma.
Half received the specialist therapy while the others had standard treatment offered by NHS mental health services. Researchers found the therapy was not much more effective immediately, but after 11 months children who had the treatment showed greater improvements in post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression and managing emotions.
Professor Richard Meiser-Stedman, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a deeply distressing and disabling psychiatric condition. Recent research has shown that more than seven per cent of young people in the UK will have developed PTSD at some point by the age of 18. For many young people it may persist for years or even decades if untreated.”
He added: “These findings are really encouraging. They suggest that trauma focused therapy can be an effective and safe treatment for young people who have gone through more than one trauma, especially when they also have other mental health issues. It also worked in real-world clinics, not just controlled research settings - so it’s likely to help in everyday practice.”
The trial was coordinated by the Norwich Clinical Trials Unit and involved several NHS trusts and universities across the UK. The results are published in the journal World Psychiatry.