Early psychotherapeutic interventions for posttraumatic stress responses in children and adolescents: A scoping review.

Background

Exposure of children and young people to potentially traumatic events is common. There is a need for increased access to early interventions following a potentially traumatic event.

Objective

This review aimed to identify early psychotherapeutic interventions which attempted to decrease posttraumatic stress responses and/or reduce the risk of developing persistent posttraumatic stress disorder.Method: We included papers that outlined a psychotherapeutic intervention delivered to children and young people in the acute (within 1 month) and early-post-trauma period (2 to 6 months), following a potentially traumatic event. Four databases were searched, including PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and ASSIA.

Results

Twenty-one papers met the inclusion criteria. The most frequent technique identified was psychoeducation, often combined with other techniques. Interventions were typically delivered by highly experienced clinical professionals. Two interventions were delivered either by lay counsellors or community facilitators. Most interventions were delivered within 1 month of exposure.Discussion: All interventions delivered beyond 1 month after the event showed significant reductions in posttraumatic stress symptoms, whereas those delivered within a month yielded mixed results.

Conclusions

There remains a scarcity of evidence on early interventions following potentially traumatic events. We identified interventions delivered by community professionals with less clinical experience, which could inform how we increase access to support following potentially traumatic events.