Axis
Youth Violence Prevention
Problems addressed
Externalizing behaviors/problems
Internalizing behaviors/problems
Post-traumatic stress

Effectiveness

Mixed Evidence

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Mixed Evidence

¿Quieres saber más acerca de esta clasificación? Consulte nuestro manual metodológico.

Description

Therapeutic approaches for child and adolescent victims of sexual abuse are designed to reduce the effects of the abuse, which can manifest through conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), fear, depression, and anxiety.
These programs play an important role in providing direct assistance to victims, who often experience traumatic reactions to the abuse, including the possibility of “reliving” the abuse through memories or dreams, as well as mental disorders, depression, and anxiety. However, beyond this support offered to victims, the relevance of these programs is also justified in terms of prevention, as victims can also externalize problematic behaviours as a result of the trauma, such as sexual behaviour problems, hyperactivity, and aggression.
There are a variety of psychotherapeutic approaches that can be applied in these cases, among which: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for preschool children, trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, child-centered therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), imagery rehearsal therapy, abuse recovery program, psychological counseling, and stress inoculation interventions.

Country of application
  • Australia
  • Canada
  • United States
  • Netherlands
  • Sweden
Evidence

Therapeutic approaches with child and adolescent victims of sexual abuse have had a statistically significant impact on symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Aggregating the results of five studies, a systematic review identified that the effect on PTSD was reflected in a 68% improvement for children and adolescents who received treatment, compared to a 32% improvement for the groups who did not receive treatment [1].
Similarly, two other reviews corroborate the effectiveness of psychological treatment in reducing post-traumatic stress symptoms [2][3]. Therapeutic approaches also reduced the occurrence of externalizing behavior problems (e.g. problematic sexual behavior, hyperactivity, and aggression) by 78.5% compared to 21.5% for the groups that did not receive treatment [1].
Regarding internalizing behavior problems (e.g. depression and anxiety), there was a 69% improvement for children and adolescents who received treatment compared to a 31% improvement for the other untreated groups [1][2]. The application of the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) approach specifically has a medium effect in the treatment of post-traumatic stress and does not impact depression and anxiety reduction [4][5].

Bibliography

[1] Harvey, S. T. & Taylor, J. E. (2010). A meta-analysis of the effects of psychotherapy with sexually abused children and adolescents. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(5), 517–535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2010.03.006

[2] Trask, E. V., Walsh, K., Dilillo, D. (2011). Treatment Effects for Common Outcomes of Child Sexual Abuse: A Current Meta-Analysis. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 16(1), 6–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2010.10.001

[3] Macdonald, G., Higgins, J. P. T., Ramchandani, P., Valentine, J. C., Bronger, L. P., Klein, P., O'Daniel, R., Pickering, M., Rademaker, B., Richardson, G., Taylor, M. (2012). Cognitive‐Behavioural Interventions for Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused: A Systematic Review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 8(1), 1–111. https://doi.org/10.4073/csr.2012.14

[4] Rodenburg, R., Benjamin, A., Roos, C. de, Meijer, A. M., Stams, G. J. (2009). Efficacy of EMDR in children: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 29(7), 599–606. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2009.06.008

[5] Washington State Institute for Public Policy. (2016). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for child trauma (Benefit-Cost Results). Olympia, WA. Washington State Institute for Public Policy. https://www.wsipp.wa.gov/BenefitCost/Program/156

Information Source

Evaluated cases

Baltimore City (MD) Family Recovery Program

Axis: Youth Violence Prevention
Type: Assistance to Child and Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence
Effectiveness:

Promising

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.

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.

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Promising
Problem type:
Drug abuse, Alcohol abuse, Family breakdown and/or dysfunctionality
Country:
United States
Open

Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI)

Axis: Youth Violence Prevention
Type: Assistance to Child and Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence
Effectiveness:

Promising

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.

.

.

.

Promising
Problem type:
Post-traumatic stress
Country:
United States
Open

Child–Parent Psychotherapy

Axis: Youth Violence Prevention
Type: Assistance to Child and Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence
Effectiveness:

Promising

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.

.

.

.

Promising
Problem type:
Internalizing behaviors/problems, Post-traumatic stress
Country:
United States
Open

Family Group Decision Making (FGDM)

Axis: Youth Violence Prevention
Type: Assistance to Child and Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence
Effectiveness:

Promising

.

.

.

.

.

Promising
Problem type:
Child abuse, neglect, and/or maltreatment, Family breakdown and/or dysfunctionality
Country:
Canada, United States, Sweden
Open

Childhaven: Childhood Trauma Treatment

Axis: Youth Violence Prevention
Type: Assistance to Child and Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence
Effectiveness:

Effective

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.

.

.

.

Effective
Problem type:
Juvenile delinquency, Internalizing behaviors/problems
Country:
United States
Open

Healthy Families America

Axis: Youth Violence Prevention
Type: Assistance to Child and Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence
Effectiveness:

No Effect

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.

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No Effect
Problem type:
Child abuse, neglect, and/or maltreatment, Family breakdown and/or dysfunctionality, Low parental skills
Country:
United States
Open

Why might the cases evaluated have different levels of effectiveness in relation to their respective type of solution?
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Some cases were not included in the evidence bank due to deficiencies detected in the methodology of their impact evaluations.
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