Trauma- And Grief-Focused Intervention for Adolescents Exposed To Community Violence: Results of a School-Based Screening and Group Treatment Protocol

Author(s)

William R. Saltzman, California State University, Long BeachFollow
Robert S. Pynoos, University of California, Los AngelesFollow
Christopher M. Layne, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Alan M. Steinberg, University of California, Los Angeles
Eugene Aisenberg, University of Washington

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2001

Publication Title

Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice

Volume

5

Issue/Number

4

ISSN

1089-2699

Abstract/Excerpt

This study assessed the prevalence of trauma exposure among middle school students and evaluated the effectiveness of a school-based, trauma- and grief-focused group psychotherapy protocol in treating a subset of students with severe exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and functional impairment. Using a stratified screening procedure, 812 students completed a screening survey; 58 students (7.1% of those surveyed) met criteria for group treatment, and 26 students participated in the group. Group participation was associated with improvements in posttraumatic stress and complicated grief symptoms and in academic performance. Results suggest that students who are exposed to severe levels of community violence often may not be identified or treated. The findings also suggest that severe PTSD in adolescence may be associated with impaired school functioning, and that a reduction in PTSD symptoms may be related to academic remediation.

DOI

10.1037/1089-2699.5.4.291

NSUWorks Citation

Saltzman, W. R., Pynoos, R. S., Layne, C. M., Steinberg, A. M., Aisenberg, E. (2001). Trauma- And Grief-Focused Intervention for Adolescents Exposed To Community Violence: Results of a School-Based Screening and Group Treatment Protocol. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 5(4).
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cps_facarticles/1941