Decrease in Behavioral Problems and Trauma Symptoms Among At-Risk Adopted Children Following Trauma-Informed Parent Training Intervention

Abstract

Children who have experienced early adversities are at risk for behavioral problems and trauma symptoms. Using a two-group, pre-post intervention design, the current study evaluated the effectiveness of a parent training utilizing Trust-Based Relational Intervention, a trauma-informed, attachment-based intervention, in reducing behavioral problems and trauma symptoms in at-risk adopted children. Children of parents in the treatment group (n = 48) demonstrated significant decreases in behavioral problems on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and significant decreases in trauma symptoms on the Trauma Symptoms Checklist for Young Children after intervention. Scores for children in a matched-sample control group did not change. Findings suggest that Trust-Based Relational Intervention is effective at addressing many behavioral problems and trauma symptoms in children with histories of adversities.

The effectiveness of psychological interventions with adoptive parents on adopted children and adolescents’ outcomes: A systematic review

“…Similarly, the length of time in the adoptive placement varied across studies. The mean length of time in adoptive placement ranged from 12 to 65 months across six studies (Colonnesi et al, 2013;Henderson & Sargent, 2005;Purvis et al, 2015;Razuri et al, 2016;Rushton et al, 2010;Selwyn et al, 2009). One study controlled for length of time in adoptive placement (Colonnesi et al, 2013).…”

“…One study controlled for length of time in adoptive placement (Colonnesi et al, 2013). Ten studies reported the type of adoption, foster-care (Benjamin, 2010), international (Colonnesi et al, 2013;, or a mixed sample of international, domestic or foster-care adoptions (Baker, 2012;Carnes-Holt, 2010;Opiola, 2016;Purvis et al, 2015;Razuri et al, 2016;Weir et al, 2013;Wydra, 2013).…”

“…One group intervention, 'Emotional Attachment and Emotional Availability (EA2) Tele-Intervention Programme' was delivered online via a Group Video-Conferencing system (Baker, 2012), the remainder were delivered in person. The number of sessions of the group format ranged from 4 days training (Purvis et al, 2015) to 18 weekly sessions (Selwyn et al, 2016). The number of participants per group ranged from 2 (Selwyn et al, 2009) to 14 (Selwyn et al, 2016).…”

“…The number of participants per group ranged from 2 (Selwyn et al, 2009) to 14 (Selwyn et al, 2016). Two studies did not specify the number of participants per group (Henderson & Sargent, 2005;Purvis et al, 2015). Four studies provided individual interventions to parents, the parent-child dyad or a combination (Allen et al, 2014;Razuri et al, 2016;Rushton et al, 2010).…”

The Assessment Screening of Trauma Reactions, Psychopathology and Psychosocial Function in a High-Risk Sample of 4 - 8-Year-Old Children—A Pilot Study

“…There is an ongoing debate whether the current diagnostic criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are appropriate for all children because it does not distinguish between acute trauma (exposure to a single overwhelming event) and chronic or multiple traumas such as neglect of care and maltreatment over years [7]. Additionally, traditional diagnostic categories such as PTSD are argued to be limited since exposure to traumatic stress in early life is associated with enduring symptoms that not only are incorporate, but also extend beyond PTSD.…”