Controlled Trial of Early Intervention With Children and Adolescents Exposed to Nonrelational Traumatic Events

Background: International studies have shown that a substantial number of children and adolescents are exposed to potentially traumatic events. Many of these children and adolescents, some of whom will experience posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are submitted to health care departments shortly after exposure as the most common types of traumatic events are accidental injury, serious somatic illness or death of someone close. There has been some research on early psychological interventions for prevention and treatment of PTSD. However, very little research has examined the efficacy of trauma-informed practice among health care professionals (HCPs). The present trial aims to evaluate and compare trauma-informed health care with usual practice. Methods/Design: The primary clinical question under investigation is the efficacy of an early, trauma-informed intervention for the prevention of PTSD in children and adolescents following exposure to a potentially traumatic event. The trail compares a standardized trauma-informed practice with usual care (no intervention) in health care departments receiving children and adolescents after exposure to determine if trauma-informed care is associated with a reduction in psychological outcome measures over time. Specifically, the investigators examine the efficacy of health care professional's active use of trauma-informed standards of action and a trauma training program for HCPs in the intervention group. The primary outcome will be a reduction in trauma, anxiety and depressive symptoms on self-reports in the active intervention compared to usual care. Discussion: This trial will be the first controlled trial to examine a trauma-informed intervention carried out by HCPs. It will provide the first evidence on the efficacy of health care delivered by trauma-educated HCPs using trauma-informed standards of action. A successful implementation of this protocol will support the thesis that prevention of PTSD among children and