Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy for Abused Children with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: the Case of Kechene Children’s Home and OPRIFS
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Date
2011-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The high prevalence and the devastating negative consequences of sexual and physical abuse
initiate research inquiry in to the treatment aspect of the problem. This study examined whether
trauma focused cognitive behavioral group therapy is effective in treating either sexually or
physically abused children in two NGOs namely Kechene Children’s home and OPRIFS. The
study was a control group pre test post test quasi-experimental design. Sixty female participants
aged 8 to 18 were selected purposefully based on inclusion criteria. They were divided in to two
groups (treatment group and control group) which were made equivalent in terms of their score
of child post traumatic stress symptoms scale and type of abuse they experienced. The treatment
group received TF-CBGT for 3 sessions a week for a total of 12 sessions. Child posttraumatic
stress disorder symptoms scale (CPSS) was used to measure post traumatic stress symptoms of
participants. Test was conducted before the treatment, just after the treatment and 15 days after
the treatment. Results of dependent t-test indicated that, participants engaged in treatment group
showed statistically significant reduction in PTSD symptoms (df=29 t=2.618) from pre to post
test while the control group did not. The therapy gain/outcome was maintained at follow up
measure. Independent t test indicated that the mean CPSS for the control group and the
treatment group was statistically significant at post test (df=58 t=2.068). There was no
statistically significant difference in post traumatic stress symptoms mean score between
different types of abuse (sexual and physical) and age groups (younger children aged 9 to 12 and
teenagers aged 13 to 16) both before and after therapy. It is recommended to conduct a large
scale study with more sample size and diversity to expand the findings of this study
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Keywords
Home and oprifs