Bibliographic information
GuidelineWHO Guidelines for the health sector response to child maltreatment
Year of Publication2019
Issuing InstitutionWorld Health Organization
Recommendation
Maintained
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) including with a trauma focus may be offered for children and adolescents who have been exposed to maltreatment and are diagnosed with PTSD.
Recommended in favor
Conditional
Certainty of evidence
Very low
Notes and Remarks
- Not all individuals with mental health problems need or wish to undergotherapeutic interventions. Informed consent and assent should be obtained of thechild and the non-offending caregiver, as appropriate.• The safety of the child or adolescent who has been abused is to be prioritized.Those providing psychosocial interventions should be aware of the potential risksfor children or adolescents. Health care providers should assess the safetyimplications of the care they provide, taking into account that the offendingcaregiver might be present or still has access to the child and take actions tominimize the risk of harms.• The therapeutic intervention should not be applied on the basis of exposure tochild maltreatment only. Children and adolescents should have an assessment bysomeone who is qualified to assess whether they have PTSD or symptoms of PTSD.
Also Featured In
This recommendation also appears in the following guidelines:
Originally Developed
Guideline
Responding to children and adolescents who have been sexually abused: WHO clinical guidelines
Year2017
InstitutionWorld Health Organization