TY - JOUR PY - 2022// TI - Attachment security as an outcome and predictor of response to trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy among maltreated children with posttraumatic stress: a pilot study JO - Clinical child psychology and psychiatry A1 - Allen, Brian A1 - Brown, Michelle P. SP - ePub EP - ePub VL - ePub IS - ePub N2 - Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is a frontline intervention for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among maltreated children. Research suggests that active caregiver participation predicts positive treatment outcomes, but these studies are often based on the perception of the caregiver. Youth perceptions of the caregiver as a source of support who might help confront distressing memories (i.e., attachment security) and how they relate to TF-CBT treatment are unexplored. This paper uses data from a small randomized controlled feasibility trial of TF-CBT to conduct a pilot examination of whether (a) attachment security may improve through the course of TF-CBT, and (b) pre-treatment attachment security predicts response to TF-CBT for the amelioration of posttraumatic stress.

RESULTS favored the conclusion that those beginning treatment with attachment insecurity may demonstrate improvement for this outcome by the end of treatment (n = 8; t = 3.3, p =.013, Cohen's d = 1.17). However, although significant improvements were found over the course of treatment for PTSD, there was no evidence that pre-treatment attachment security predicted PTSD outcome (n = 29; ∆R(2) <.01, ∆F(1,26) =.001, p =.969). The limitations of the current pilot study are discussed, as well as directions for future research.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1359-1045 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/13591045221144588 ID - ref1 ER -