Relationships among emotion regulation and symptoms during trauma-focused CBT for school-aged children. (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Thornback, Kristin; Muller, Robert T.
• Is Part Of: Child abuse & neglect. Volume 50(2015)
• Page Start: 182
• Page End: 192
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: Emotion regulation -- Trauma -- Maltreatment -- Therapy outcome -- Trauma treatment; Child abuse -- Periodicals; 362.76
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.09.011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0145-2134

Abstract

Abstract: This study examined improvement in emotion regulation throughout Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and the degree to which improvement in emotion regulation predicted improvement in symptoms. Traumatized children, 7–12 years (69.9% female), received TF-CBT. Data from 4 time periods were used: pre-assessment ( n = 107), pre-treatment ( n = 78), post-treatment ( n = 58), and 6-month follow-up ( n = 44). Questionnaires measured emotion regulation in the form of inhibition and dysregulation (Children's Emotion Management Scales) and lability/negativity and emotion regulation skill (Emotion Regulation Checklist), as well as child-reported (Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children) and parent-reported (Trauma Symptom Checklist for Young Children) posttraumatic stress, and internalizing and externalizing problems (Child Behaviuor Checklist). To the extent that children's dysregulation and lability/negativity improved, their parents reported fewer symptoms following therapy. Improvements in inhibition best predicted improvements in child-reported posttraumatic stress (PTS) during clinical services, but change in dysregulation and lability/negativity best predicted improvement in child-reported PTS symptoms at 6-month follow-up. Moreover, statistically significant improvements of small effect size were found following therapy, for inhibition, dysregulation, and lability/negativity, but not emotion regulation skill. These findings suggest that emotion regulation is a worthy target of intervention and that improvements in emotion regulation can be made. Suggestions for future research are discussed.