Caregiver Satisfaction and Perceptions of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Although caregivers have been found to be critical to children’s healing, little has been documented about caregivers’ experiences in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). The current study describes caregivers’ satisfaction with and perceptions of TF-CBT. Caregivers (n = 431) of children/adolescents (n = 496) who completed TF-CBT filled out pre-treatment questionnaires on demographics and perceived aloneness in facing their child’s trauma, and posttreatment questionnaires on treatment satisfaction and perceptions of TF-CBT. Caregivers rated treatment satisfaction an average of 30.59 (SD = 3.15) out of a maximum score of 32 on the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8. The majority of caregivers endorsed that talking about their child’s trauma was more helpful than discussing other current problems, they spoke frequently with their child’s therapist about their child’s trauma, they reported information/skill building in therapy were more helpful than support received, they felt understood by their therapist, treatment helped them more effectively parent, and treatment helped improve their relationship with their child. Perceptions were associated with overall treatment satisfaction. There was a significant reduction in caregivers’ feelings of aloneness in facing their child’s trauma from pre- to posttreatment, which was also related to overall treatment satisfaction. Caregivers reported high satisfaction with TF-CBT, and identified talking about their child’s trauma as more helpful than talking about problems not related to the trauma. Caregivers endorsed benefits of participating in TF-CBT, including feeling less alone in facing their child’s trauma, improved relationship with their child, and more effective parenting skills. These results have important treatment implications.