Document Type
Article
Version Deposited
Published Version
Publication Date
7-1-2025
Publication Title
European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists
DOI
10.1192/j.eurpsy.2025.10032
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 resulted in a humanitarian crisis with hundreds of thousands of children exposed to traumatic events. To date, trauma-focused evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for children and youth have not been systematically evaluated and implemented in Ukraine. This study aims at evaluating 1) the feasibility of a training program for Ukrainian therapists on Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT) and 2) the feasibility and effectiveness of the treatment for children, youth, and their families in and from Ukraine during the ongoing war.
METHODS: The project "TF-CBT Ukraine" was implemented between March 2022 and May 2024, in close collaboration with local and international partners. Therapists completed questionnaires before/after the training, and patients were asked to complete a measure on PTSD before and after treatment.
RESULTS: Altogether 138 therapists started the training program and 44.9% were certified as TF-CBT therapists. The program completers reported overall high satisfaction with the training program, a positive change in their attitude towards EBTs and trauma-related knowledge gain. The patients (age 3-21, 37% male) reported significant improvement in symptoms of PTSD at the end of treatment with large pre-post effect sizes for DSM-5 PTSD (
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study are promising in regard to the general implementation of trauma-focused EBTs in active conflict areas. Future studies need to replicate these findings in a randomized controlled study design.
Recommended Citation
Pfeiffer, Elisa; Garbade, Maike; Beer, Renee; Birgersson, Anette; Cabrera, Natalie; Cohen, Judith A; Deblinger, Esther; Gjini, Rafaela; Kirsch, Veronica; Kostova, Zlatina; Larsson, Michael; Mannarino, Anthony; Moffitt, Gavin; Onsjö, Marja; Ostensjo, Tale; Vikgren, Anna; Weyler, Hanna; Klymchuk, Vitalii; and Sachser, Cedric, "Evaluation of the Feasibility and Effectiveness of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Children and Youth in Ukraine During the War" (2025). Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research. 301.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/som_facpub/301
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Published Citation
Pfeiffer E, Garbade M, Beer R, et al. Evaluation of the feasibility and effectiveness of trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy for children and youth in Ukraine during the war. European Psychiatry. 2025;68(1):e96. doi:10.1192/j.eurpsy.2025.10032
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