Preventive Early Intervention for Children and Adolescents Exposed to Trauma

Preventing psychological disorders, especially those that first emerge during childhood, helps reduce human suffering and societal costs across the lifespan. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), unlike many other disorders, usually has a clear aetiology as well as a therapeutic window of opportunity to intervene in the first 3 months after trauma exposure before symptoms become chronic. Exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs) during childhood is common. This chapter reviews conceptual models and non-pharmacological early intervention approaches for infants, children and adolescents who have experienced acute single-incident traumas (i.e. medical trauma, natural disasters), addressing key issues such as screening, timing and developmental considerations. The evidence base for preventive early intervention is progressing slowly, especially for infants and young children (<6 years). However, the current evidence is promising, with brief interventions (1–4 sessions) and online interventions significantly reducing PTSD symptoms and/or anxiety. Core components of these interventions include (1) psychoeducation for child and parent trauma responses, (2) coping strategies targeting trauma symptoms and (3) strengthening child-parent communication and support.