PE Therapy for Adolescents

Prolonged Exposure Therapy for Adolescents (PE-A; Foa et al., 2008) is an adaptation of the standard PE protocol (Foa et al., 2019) appropriate for adolescent clients ranging in age from 11-18 years who have clinically significant symptoms of PTSD. PE-A is divided into four consecutive phases organized around specific therapeutic goals. Each phase is comprised of two or more therapeutic modules, or units addressing specific objectives. The first phase of the adapted protocol, Pre-treatment preparation, is new to PE and includes collaborative case management to anticipate and manage barriers to successful treatment, and to build client motivation for change. The following phases: Psychoeducation and treatment planning; Exposure and processing; and Relapse prevention, are adapted directly from standard PE sessions. Each phase includes developmentally appropriate modifications to involve caretakers or coaches when appropriate, to augment treatment to address skills or knowledge gaps, and to modify exposure techniques to promote participation and engagement of younger clients. Progress through each phase is flexible and depends on the client’s engagement and understanding of the material. Clinical considerations in this chapter address aspects of the treatment that are critical to successful outcomes with adolescent clients..