Schottelkorb 2012.
| Methods | Randomised trial of trauma‐focused CBT vs child‐centred play therapy | |
| Participants |
Included (n = 31) Elementary school students 6 to 13 years of age who met full or partial criteria for PTSD on the UCLA PTSD Index, or had a clinical score on the Post‐Traumatic Symptoms Parent Report. Mean age: 9.16 years. Female: 45.5%. Their backgrounds covered 15 countries from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Fifteen scored in the full PTSD range on the UCLA PTSD Index and Parent Report Excluded Children were excluded if they participated in counselling outside of this study Setting Three elementary schools in northwestern USA. All participating schools had more than average numbers of students who were English language learners |
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| Interventions |
Trauma‐focused CBT (n = 17) Treatment was tailored to specific needs of refugee children, including information and education about trauma in general and refugee trauma in particular. Children participated in twice‐weekly 30‐minute sessions over 12 weeks, with an average of 17 completed sessions. Therapists met with parents twice on average Child‐centred play therapy (n = 14) Children attended 30‐minute sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks in the school. The playroom was additionally equipped with multi‐cultural dolls, musical instruments, play food and other toys reflective of the cultural backgrounds of the children. Children completed an average of 17 sessions, and therapists met with parents an average of 3 times Therapists All therapists were second‐ or third‐year graduate students in a master's level counsellor education programme. Face‐to‐face supervision of at least 1 hour was provided for every 10 hours of clinical work. All TF‐CBT therapists were trained and supervised by a doctoral level licenced professional counsellor, counsellor educator and certified TF‐CBT therapist. All CCPT therapists were trained and supervised by a doctoral level licenced professional counsellor, counsellor educator and registered play therapist supervisor. Supervisors for both therapies rated videotapes of each therapist's treatment sessions for adherence to treatment manuals; these were rated as excellent overall |
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| Outcomes |
PTSD symptoms Scale: UCLA PTSD Index for DSM‐IV Rater: clinician PTSD symptoms Scale: Parent Report of Post‐Traumatic Symptoms (32‐item) Rater: parent When Post therapy |
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| Notes | ||
| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Low risk | 'Using a computer‐generated random numbers table' |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Unclear risk | Not reported |
| Blinding of participants (performance bias | Unclear risk | Blinding was not possible, but both groups received a psychological therapy |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes | Unclear risk | Not reported |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | High risk | Loss to follow‐up: 16% |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Low risk | Al outcomes appear to have been reported |
| Other bias | Low risk | No other bias was apparent |