Objectives
This investigation evaluated trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (T-F CBT) with detained male adolescents with serious offending behaviors.
Methods
One hundred and seventeen youth with trauma symptoms participated in an average of twelve T-F CBT individual sessions. Trauma symptoms were assessed prior to and following treatment using the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC) and a paired sample t-test was used to analyze changes from pre- to posttest.
Results
Trauma symptoms in five of the six scales (i.e., anger, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, dissociation) were significantly reduced following treatment.
Conclusions
T-F CBT may be effective in reducing general trauma symptoms among detained adolescents; assessing and treating trauma symptoms are recommended as standard protocol in the juvenile justice system; and T-F CBT may be effective without caregiver participation.
