Treating sexually abused children: 1 year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: To measure the durability of improvement in response to two alternative treatments for sexually abused children. METHOD: Eighty-two sexually abused children ages 8-15 years old and their primary caretakers were randomly assigned to trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) or non-directive supportive therapy (NST) delivered over 12 sessions; this study examines symptomatology during 12 months posttreatment. DATA ANALYSIS: Intent-to-treat and treatment completer repeated measures analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Intent-to-treat indicated significant group x time effects in favor of TF-CBT on measures of depression, anxiety, and sexual problems. Among treatment completers, the TF-CBT group evidenced significantly greater improvement in anxiety, depression, sexual problems and dissociation at the 6-month follow-up and in PTSD and dissociation at the 12-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: This study provides additional support for the durability of TF-CBT effectiveness.