Intensive Trauma-Focused Treatment for Adolescents With PTSD: Feasibility and Preliminary Effects

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in adolescents is a debilitating condition that, without timely intervention, risks becoming chronic and severely impairing development. Although evidence-based treatments such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) are effective, they typically require weekly sessions over 6-9 months, which many adolescents struggle to complete. High dropout rates remain a significant clinical challenge. Intensive trauma-focused interventions have shown promising outcomes in adults, including rapid symptom reduction and improved retention. Inspired by a Dutch model, this project evaluates a Swedish adaptation of Korte Intensieve Traumabehandeling (KIT), which combines EMDR, elements of TF-CBT, physical activity, and parental support in a 5-day intensive treatment. This project is a pilot study to examine the feasibility, early effects, and practicality of intensive trauma-focused therapy. The pilot study is the first step toward planning a larger, controlled study in Swedish child and adolescent psychiatry. The following questions are included in the project: 1. Is intensive trauma-focused psychological treatment with EMDR, components of TF-CBT, combined with physical activity and a parent group a feasible, suitable, and acceptable treatment method for PTSD within Swedish child and adolescent psychiatry in terms of: 1. Therapists' ratings of whether they find the intensive trauma-focused treatment acceptable, appropriate, and feasible. 2. The number of patients who complete the treatment without dropping out 3. Patients' self-reported satisfaction with the treatment 4. The proportion of patients with "adverse effects" 2. Does intensive trauma-focused psychological treatment with EMDR, components of TF-CBT, combined with physical activity and a parent group for PTSD, lead to a decrease in symptoms in the expected direction in terms of: 1. PTSD symptoms