This review summarizes studies investigating psychophysiological alterations associated with pediatric posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The authors conducted a computer-based search in the databases PsycINFO, PSYNDEXplus, and Medline. Additional studies were retrieved using a pyramid scheme. The literature search identified 29 articles. Most studies measured alterations shortly after exposure. Differences from controls emerged mainly in the sympathoadrenal system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Elevated acute heart rate immediately after traumatization was associated with increased risk for PTSD. The literature on psychophysiological characteristics of pediatric PTSD is relatively small and diverse. Nevertheless, findings indicate exaggerated baseline activation across various measures. Studies examining the course and reversibility of psychophysiological alterations are lacking.

BackgroundPsychophysiological alterations such as elevated baseline levels and hyperresponsivity in cardiac, electrodermal, and facial muscle activity have been observed in adults with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There are only few, inconclusive studies investigating psychophysiological responses in children and adolescents with PTSD.ObjectiveThis cross-sectional study sought to examine if autonomic variables, facial electromyography (EMG), and self-reported anxiety at baseline, while listening to neutral and idiosyncratic trauma scripts, differ between minors with a trauma history and PTSD, and a traumatized control (TC) group without PTSD. A better understanding of psychophysiological reactions in trauma-exposed children and adolescents could improve differential assessment and treatment decisions.MethodPTSD was assessed using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for Children and Adolescents in 6- to 17-year-old trauma-exposed children, resulting in a group with PTSD according to DSM-IV (n=16) and a TC group without PTSD (n=18). Facial EMG, (para-)sympathetic measures (heart rate, electrodermal activity, respiratory sinus arrhythmia), and self-reported anxiety were measured during 5-min baseline, 3-min neutral script, and 3-min idiosyncratic trauma script. Baseline, reactivity (trauma minus baseline), and script contrast (trauma minus neutral) were analyzed by multivariate analyses of variance.ResultsChildren and adolescents with PTSD reported more anxiety compared to TC for baseline, reactivity, and script contrast (ps<0.021, ds>0.59), and showed elevated corrugator supercilii muscle activity for script contrast (p<0.05, d=0.79). No group differences emerged for sympathetic or parasympathetic measures.ConclusionsChildren and adolescents with PTSD experienced elevated anxiety at baseline and elevated anxiety and facial corrugator muscle response to an idiosyncratic trauma narrative. Autonomic hyperreactivity, typical for adult PTSD samples, did not figure prominently.

BackgroundIt has been shown that positive treatment expectancy (TE) and good working alliance increase psychotherapeutic success in adult patients, either directly or mediated by other common treatment factors like collaboration. However, the effects of TE in psychotherapy with children, adolescents and their caregivers are mostly unknown. Due to characteristics of the disorder such as avoidant behavior, common factors may be especially important in evidence-based treatment of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), e.g. for the initiation of exposure based techniques.MethodsTE, collaboration, working alliance and PTSS were assessed in 65 children and adolescents (age M = 12.5; SD = 2.9) and their caregivers. Patients’ and caregivers’ TE were assessed before initiation of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). Patients’ and caregivers’ working alliance, as well as patients’ collaboration were assessed at mid-treatment, patients’ PTSS at pre- and post-treatment. Path analysis tested both direct and indirect effects (by collaboration and working alliance) of pre-treatment TE on post-treatment PTSS, and on PTSS difference scores.ResultsPatients’ or caregivers’ TE did not directly predict PTSS after TF-CBT. Post-treatment PTSS was not predicted by patients’ or caregivers’ TE via patients’ collaboration or patients’ or caregivers’ working alliance. Caregivers’ working alliance with therapists significantly contributed to the reduction of PTSS in children and adolescents (post-treatment PTSS: β = − 0.553; p < 0.001; PTSS difference score: β = 0.335; p = 0.031).ConclusionsTE seems less important than caregivers’ working alliance in TF-CBT for decreasing PTSS. Future studies should assess TE and working alliance repeatedly during treatment and from different perspectives to understand their effects on outcome. The inclusion of a supportive caregiver and the formation of a good relationship between therapists and caregivers can be regarded as essential for treatment success in children and adolescents with PTSS.

Zusammenfassung. Um dem hohen Bedarf an traumafokussierten Interventionen für traumatisierte Kinder und Jugendliche gerecht zu werden, wurden in den letzten Jahren gestufte Versorgungsansätze mit niedrigschwelligen (Gruppen-)Interventionen als Lösung der Versorgungslücke vorgeschlagen und zunehmend wissenschaftlich evaluiert. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird eine Studie zur differenziellen Wirksamkeit der traumafokussierten Gruppenmaßnahme „Mein Weg“ vorgestellt, die auf Jugendliche mit Fluchterfahrung abzielt. Neben der Häufigkeit des Auftretens von nicht-suizidalem selbstverletzendem Verhalten (NSSV) und Suizidgedanken und -handlungen wird ermittelt, ob dies die Posttraumatischen Suizidgedanken, die Posttraumatischen Stresssymptome (PTSS) und die depressive Symptomatik bei Jugendlichen, die an der „Mein Weg“-Maßnahme teilnahmen, beeinflusst haben. An der Studie nahmen insgesamt N = 99 fast ausschließlich männliche Jugendliche im Alter von 14 bis 19 Jahren teil. Die Jugendlichen füllten zu mehreren Erhebungszeitpunkten Fragebögen zur entsprechenden Symptomatik (CATS und PHQ-9) aus. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass 44.4 % der Jugendlichen von NSSV und Suizidalität berichten. Die Symptomverläufe der Gruppen unterscheiden sich zu keinem Messzeitpunkt signifikant voneinander. Es wird daraus geschlossen, dass Jugendliche mit und ohne NSSV und Suizidalität in Hinblick auf PTSS und depressive Symptome gleichermaßen von der Maßnahme profitieren.

In diesem Beitrag wird die traumafokussierte kognitive Verhaltenstherapie zunächst mit ihrem theoretischen Hintergrund und ihrer umfangreichen Evidenzbasis dargestellt. Dann erfolgt ein Überblick über den Aufbau und die praktische Umsetzung dieser multimodalen ambulanten Therapie mit ihren zentralen Elementen Psychoedukation, Aufbau von Bewältigungsstrategien, graduierte Exposition und Sicherheitsplan. Schließlich werden erste Erfahrungen mit der Implementierung in der Versorgungspraxis berichtet und Maßnahmen zur weiteren Verbreitung evidenzbasierter Traumatherapien diskutiert.