Trauma Treatment in Norwegian Child Advocacy Centers

NCT ID: NCT05314829

Last Updated: 2022-09-30

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: UNKNOWN
• Total Enrollment: 100 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2020-08-01
• Study Completion Date: 2024-12-31

Brief Summary

Norwegian child and advocacy centers´ core activities include both forensic services (e.g., forensic interviews) and follow-up services (e.g., treatment), aiming to coordinate the different services involved in each case to prevent additional burdens for youth in already vulnerable situations. However, a recent study indicates that very few receive follow-up after the forensic interview and that the follow-up in most cases includes one-time or occasional support and only in rare cases treatment. In the same study, youth receiving follow-up in the CAC in Oslo revealed significantly higher levels of common mental health problems than a comparable community sample, yet lower than clinical samples, indicating that many youths in CACs may be falling between different services within the health care system, not necessarily receiving the help they need elsewhere.

The current project will investigate four issues related to these knowledge needs;

1. How do children and parents experience receiving trauma treatment at child advocacy centers?

2. What predicts treatment effects?

3. What is the prevalence of symptoms of burnout and secondary traumatic stress among employees working in child advocacy centers, and can training in evidence-based treatment prevent burnout and secondary traumatic stress?

Detailed Description

Employees in the child advocacy centers (CAC) received training in trauma screening and a sub-sample received training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT).

To address the knowledge gaps, this project will answer the following research questions, corresponding to four Work Packages (WP):

1. Youth's and caregiver´s experiences with trauma treatment in CACs: How do youth and caregivers experience receiving trauma treatment in Norwegian CACs, and how are their experiences affected by CACs dual role as both a forensic institution and a treatment institution?

2. Response, non-response and dropout in trauma treatment in CACs: What predicts treatment outcomes for youth receiving TF-CBT in Norwegian CACs?

3. Therapists' experiences with trauma treatment in CACs: How do therapists in Norwegian CACs experience job demands and job resources, including burnout and secondary traumatic stress, and how can working with TF-CBT influence this?

4. Descriptive study of leadership, turnover, and secondary traumatic stress among staff in Norwegian Child Advocacy Centers.

To answer research question 1, qualitative interviews with children and caregivers will be conducted following their participation in TF-CBT.

For research question 2, quantitative data will be collected during the TF-CBT sessions. The child advocacy centers identify eligible TF-CBT clients through systematic trauma screening and establish routines for how TF-CBT is offered and delivered.

Research question 3 is qualitative, with semi-structured interviews with therapists.

Lastly, both questionnaire data and interviews will be used to answer research question 4.

Conditions

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: ECOLOGIC_OR_COMMUNITY
• Study Time Perspective: RETROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Study group

Data will be collected from 2 child advocacy centers

Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT)

Intervention Type: OTHER

TF-CBT is a phase-based evidence-based treatment method for children and adolescents between 6-18 years who experience posttraumatic stress symptoms following trauma exposure. Parents or other close caregivers receive parallel sessions. It is normally provided through 12-16 sessions.

Interventions

Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT)

TF-CBT is a phase-based evidence-based treatment method for children and adolescents between 6-18 years who experience posttraumatic stress symptoms following trauma exposure. Parents or other close caregivers receive parallel sessions. It is normally provided through 12-16 sessions.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Trauma exposure
• Post-traumatic stress symptoms above clinical cut-off

Exclusion Criteria

• Clinical assessment concludes that the child should receive services in the child and adolescent specialist services

• Minimum Eligible Age: 6 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Norwegian Center for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Ane-Marthe Solheim Skar

PhD, project leader

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Ane-Marthe Solheim Skar

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Norwegian Center for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies

Locations

Nowegian Center for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies

Oslo, , Norway

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Norway

Central Contacts

Ane-Marthe S Skar, PhD

Role: CONTACT

a.m.s.skar@nkvts.no

+4797661591

Karina M Egeland, PhD

Role: CONTACT

karina.egeland@nkvts.no

+4790602326

Facility Contacts

Ane-Marthe Skar

Role: primary

amskar@gmail.com

97661591

Other Identifiers

Child advocacy centers

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id