Traumatic Stress as a Treatment Priority: Its Prevalence and Impact on Children’s Mental Health Services

Abstract

This study examined the prevalence of traumatic stress in children’s community mental health settings and assessed the impact of traumatic stress on therapy. Data were collected as part of a randomized effectiveness trial examining a modular treatment. Participants included 140 youth (5–15 years). Multilevel regression analyses examined predictors of treatment dropout, client crises, practice delivery, and therapist deviations from treatment plans. Findings indicate that, despite a high prevalence of trauma and the impact of traumatic stress on treatment dropout, trauma is not often perceived by clients as a treatment priority and trauma characteristics do not predict therapist practice delivery.