Helping Children With Trauma

The purpose of this study is to evaluate if a trauma treatment called Trauma Systems Therapy
(TST) decreases children's mental health symptoms (such as acting out, not controlling their
emotions, etc.) as a result of a traumatic event (or events). A traumatic event or events
can include experiencing or witnessing violence, excessive bullying, war, car accident,
serious injury, getting mistreated or anything else that makes one feel scared or
frightened. Children/teens who experience traumatic events have been shown to be at higher
risk of poor mental and physical health. Trauma can impact family life, school life and
interpersonal relationships well into adulthood. Unfortunately, most children who have
experienced traumatic events do not undergo treatment. Although promising treatments do
exist, most do not address the complexity of trauma, particularly related to ongoing stress
and threats to safety in their environments. One hundred and twenty eligible youth will be
randomized to receive either treatment with TST at NYU's Child Study Center or trauma
treatment as usual (TAU) at a community mental health clinic.

It is hypothesized that:

- Youth receiving TST will demonstrate a greater decrease in Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD) symptoms at the 3, 6, and 9-month follow-up assessments compared to
youth receiving treatment as usual (TAU) in the community.

- Youth receiving TST will demonstrate a greater decrease in symptoms of depression,
anxiety and problem behaviors (aggression, violence, self-destructive behaviors, etc.)
at the 3-, 6- and 9-month follow-up assessments compared to youth receiving TAU.

- Youth receiving TST will have fewer acute mental health service events, such as
psychiatric hospitalizations and ED visits compared to youth receiving TAU.

- Greater fidelity to the TST model is associated with better treatment outcomes among
youth receiving TST.