Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
It is only relatively recently that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been recognised in children. Controlled treatment outcome studies of childhood PTSD are scarce, but those that exist indicate that Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is an effective intervention. In this article, we briefly describe PTSD in children and outline some behavioural and cognitive models of the disorder. Derived from these models, prolonged therapeutic exposure and cognitive restructuring as part of a CBT package are then described. In practice, effective therapy will include more than exposure-based work, and additional procedures, including work with parents, are highlighted. While CBT is the treatment of choice of PTSD in childhood, there is an urgent need for further treatment outcome studies.