Citation

Espeleta HC, Peer SO, Are F, Hanson RF. Child Maltreat. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/10775595211003673

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study examined therapists' perceived competence in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and its association with youth treatment outcomes (posttraumatic stress and depression). Participants included 99 community therapists enrolled in a TF-CBT-focused Learning Collaborative (LC), along with one of their randomly selected TF-CBT training cases. Analyzed data included: 1) caregiver/youth-reported posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms, pre- and post-treatment, and 2) therapist-perceived competence with TF-CBT components across treatment delivery. Youth- and caregiver-reports indicated large, significant pre- to post-treatment decreases in youth posttraumatic stress (ds = 1.10-1.30, ps <.001) and depressive symptoms (d = 1.01, p <.001). Higher therapist-perceived competence with TF-CBT predicted positive treatment responses for posttraumatic stress (ds = 0.38-0.39, ps =.03) and depression (d = 0.25), though only the former association was significant (ps =.03 vs. p =.15).

FINDINGS highlight the need to monitor and improve therapists' competencies to enhance clinical outcomes for trauma-exposed youth and suggest that LCs may be an effective training/implementation model to help achieve those critical goals.

Language: en

Keywords

implementation; community-based learning collaboratives; competence; TF-CBT