Citation

Tebbett AA, Brown EJ, Chaplin WF. Child Maltreat. 2018; 23(1): 54-62.

Affiliation

St. John's University, Queens, NY, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077559517724542

PMID

28797183

Abstract

A common critique of empirically supported treatments for abuse-related psychopathology is attrition during critical phases of therapy (i.e., exposure). The goal of this study was to examine whether child and caregiver symptoms were predictive of attrition among families in abuse-specific cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBTs). Children ( N = 104) and their caregivers completed baseline assessments of internalizing symptoms, externalizing problems, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and were enrolled in abuse-specific CBTs. Logistic regressions were conducted with baseline symptoms as predictor variables and treatment status (attrition vs. completion) as the criterion variable. Caregiver report of child internalizing symptoms showed the predicted quadratic relation to attrition. Caregiver report of child externalizing symptoms at moderate and high (vs. low) levels was associated with attrition. Child self-report and caregiver self-report of symptoms were not associated with the dyad's attrition. These results underscore the importance of attending to caregivers' initial perceptions of children's symptoms in abuse-specific therapy.

Language: en

Keywords

child abuse; child trauma; evidence-based treatment