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Reducing Psychological Harm from Traumatic Events Among Children and Adolescents: Group Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Task Force Finding*

Like individual cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), group CBT is frequently used to reduce psychological harm in children exposed to trauma.

On the basis of strong evidence of effectiveness, the Task Force recommends the use of group CBT to prevent psychological harm in symptomatic children and adolescents exposed to trauma. In the systematic review on which this conclusion is based, group CBT was offered to children and adolescents of varying ages and geographic locations, and exposed to various traumas; the Task Force was unable to assess the relative effectiveness of group CBT across these dimensions.

*From the following publication:

Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Recommendations to reduce psychological harm from traumatic events among children and adolescents. Adobe PDF File [PDF - 58KB] Am J Prev Med 2008;35(3):314-6.

Review completed: June 2006