Treatment of post‐traumatic stress disorder in children using cognitive behavioural writing therapy

Objectives: This study evaluated the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Writing Therapy (CBWT) in 23 children (age 8–18 years) in the Netherlands, who experienced a range of single and recurrent traumatic experiences. CBWT uses exposure, cognitive restructuring and social sharing. Methods: At pre‐test, post‐test and follow‐up, post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depressive symptoms, trauma‐related cognitions and general behavioural problems were assessed. Results: At post‐test there was a significant reduction of all symptoms, and this effect was maintained at 6 months follow‐up. The mean amount of treatment sessions needed was 5.5. Conclusions: This study shows that short‐term CBWT is a potentially effective intervention for clinically referred traumatized children. There is now a clear need of establishing the effectiveness of CBWT in a randomized, controlled trial. Practice implication: This first study indicates CBWT is a promising treatment, which can easily be used in clinical practice. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key practitioner massage: CWBT can easily be implemented in clinical practice. CWBT is suitable for a clinically representative group of children and adolescents with PTSD, who have experienced a wide range of single and recurrent traumatic experiences. CWBT is a short‐term potentially effective treatment.