Utilization and implementation of Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for the treatment of maltreated children. Child Maltreatment

Trauma-Focused Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is one of the most researched and widely disseminated interven-tions for maltreated children. This study describes the findings of a survey of 132 mental health clinicians in children’s advo-cacy centers (CACs) across the United States to determine the percentage of clinicians who are trained in and utilize TF-CBT and the frequency with which TF-CBT components are implemented. A total of 103 (78%) of the clinicians reported being trained in and utilizing TF-CBT on a regular basis; however, only 66 % of these clinicians (58 % of the full sample) reported being likely to use each component. The most preferred components were teaching relaxation skills and providing psychoeducation, whereas teaching caregiver child behavior management skills, developing a trauma narrative, and cognitive restructuring were less preferred. Results are discussed in the context of continued dissemination efforts and implications for improving clinical practice. Keyword