PTSD therapy side effects remain rare among children and adolescents, analysis finds
Psychological interventions are effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children and adolescents. But can they also have unwanted side effects? To answer this question, an international research team led by Dr. Thole H. Hoppen and professor Nexhmedin Morina from the Institute of Psychology at the University of Münster conducted the first meta-analysis of its kind, which has…
A recent analysis has found that unwanted side effects of psychological therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children and adolescents are extremely rare. Led by Dr. Thole H. Hoppen and Professor Nexhmedin Morina from the University of Münster, an international research team conducted the first meta-analysis examining this issue.
The study, published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, analyzed data from 71 studies involving over 5,600 children and adolescents with PTSD. The results showed that less than 0.01% of patients experienced symptom deterioration after treatment, while adverse events during psychological treatment occurred in only 0.29% of cases.
Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, which involves directly discussing traumatic experiences, was found to have a similar safety profile to other forms of therapy. The study's findings encourage clinicians and parents to consider psychotherapeutic treatment, including trauma-focused methods, as a viable option for managing PTSD in children and adolescents, as delays in treatment can lead to chronic conditions.
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