Predictors of Attrition Among Young Children Receiving Trauma ‐Focused Therapy

AbstractFindings from studies of predominately school ‐aged children indicate that few children complete trauma‐focused treatment; however, researchers have not specifically examined risk factors for dropout among young trauma‐exposed children. The purpose of the present study was to investigate risk factors for attrition among young children rec eiving trauma‐focused therapy. Study participants were 189 treatment‐seeking children aged 3–5 years (M = 4.86 years,SD = 0.71; 54.1% female, 47.7% White) and their nonoffending legal guardian(s). Child and family characteristics, number of traumatic events, and pretreatment posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) were examined in relation to two attrition definitions: (a) clinician ‐rated dropout and (b) whether the child received an adequate treatment dose (i.e., 12 or more sessions). Although 70.3% of children prematurely terminated therapy per their clinician, a nearly equivalent portion (67.4%) received an adequate treatment dose. Family characteristics were largely not associated with attrition, although residing farther from the clinic was related to clinician‐rated treatment dropout,OR = 0.96. As expected, higher levels of externalizing symptoms were associated with clinician ‐rated dropout and inadequate dose status,ORs = .95 and .96, respectively, whereas lower levels of trauma ‐related anger were related to clinician‐rated treatment completion,OR = 1.03, and lower levels of PTSS and sexual concerns corre...
Source: Journal of Traumatic Stress - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Research Article Source Type: research