Dyadic developmental psychotherapy: an evidence-based treatment for children with complex trauma and disorders of attachment

This paper describes the evidence base for Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy as an evidence-based, empirically validated, and effec-tive family-therapy treatment for children with reactive attachment disorder and complex trauma. It is in response to a note by Mercer, Pennington, Pignotti, & Rosa. to our previous paper describing the evidence-base of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy. The paper summarizes the extensive empirical literature that describes the effec-tiveness of such dimensions of Dyadic Develop-mental Psychotherapy as affect arousal and regulation, gradual expo-sure to trauma, parent education and consultation, explaining how the past may be continu-ing to affect present behaviour, forming and maintaining a therapeutic relationship through therapist acceptance, affirmation, empathy and various other dimensions. The paper presents several generally accepted criteria for determining evidence-based practice and evidence-based treatment and demonstrates how Dyadic Develop-mental Psychotherapy meets those criteria. These criteria include those developed by Saunders et al., the UK National Health Services system, and the US Preventative ServicesTask Force system for ranking the quality of evidence. Finally, the paper responds to specific points raised by Mercer et al. indicating those with which we agree and those with which we disagree