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A single case report of using Dummett’s systemic cognitive behavioural formulation to guide treatment of adolescent PTSD

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 December 2022

Bethany O'Brien-Venus Open the ORCID record for Bethany O'Brien-Venus [Opens in a new window]  and
Cara Haines
Bethany O'Brien-Venus*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
Cara Haines
Affiliation:
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Wiltshire, UK
*
*Corresponding author. Email: bethany.venus@bath.edu
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Abstract

Trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT) is recommended by NICE for adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Whilst caregiver involvement is recommended, no specific guidance on the nature of involvement is provided although it is important that involvement takes account of the nature of the trauma. This case report details how Dummett’s systemic CBT formulation was used to plan an intervention such that systemic sessions were included in TF-CBT treatment of an adolescent female with PTSD which arose following interpersonal trauma. Trauma symptoms, trauma cognitions and depressive symptoms were measured throughout, with trauma symptoms showing clinically significant change over the course of therapy. Clinical implications are considered regarding the applicability of systemic CBT formulation and the inclusion of systemic sessions within TF-CBT for adolescents whose traumas arose interpersonally.

Key learning aims

  1. (1) To be able to incorporate systemic factors into a formulation of the maintenance of PTSD for adolescents using Dummett’s systemic cognitive behavioural formulation.

  2. (2) To identify systemic interventions that may facilitate change in interactions between adolescents and parental figures and change in trauma appraisals.

Keywords

adolescentcase formulationcase studyparentPTSDsystemicTF-CBT
Type
Case Study
Information
the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist , Volume 15 , 2022 , e61
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies

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References

Further reading

Dummett, N. (2006). Processes for systemic cognitive-behavioural therapy with children, young people and families. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 34, 179–189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dummett, N. (2010). Cognitive-behavioural therapy with children, young people and families: from individual to systemic therapy. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 16, 23–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

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