Trauma-Informed Mental Health Interventions for Young Children

Young children are traumatized by abuse, neglect, exposure to disasters and wars, parental and caregiver loss, as well as witnessing domestic violence and substance use. This exposure effects brain and biological development, social-emotional, and cognitive development. Trauma-informed interventions and mental health treatments have been developed to help them recover. Most are dyadic involving joint work with the parent/caregiver and child. Implementation of attachment and biobehavioral catch-up, child–parent psychotherapy, and parent–child interaction therapy will be described.