Is

 Cogni>ve  Behavioral  Interven>on  for  Trauma  (CBITS)  Effec>ve  in  Reducing  the  
Symptoms  of  Trauma  in  School  Aged  Children?  
Allyson  Overly  &  Kristen  Weibe  
University  of  North  Carolina  at  Pembroke  
 
Introduc>on   Review  of  Literature  
How  is  this  relevant  for  Professional  School   References    
Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools Allison and Ferreira (2017) adapted and implemented CBITS
(CBITS) is a school-based intervention to supports students 5th with Latino students and conducted the program almost entirely
Counselors?  
Allison, A. C., & Ferreira, R. J. (2017). Implementing Cognitive
thru 12th grade who have witnessed or experienced traumatic life in Spanish. They found that CBITS was an effective intervention
The research studies findings have significant impact on the Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) with
events such as community and school violence, accidents/ with this population and they saw a reduction in symptoms
field of counseling. Our students come from diverse Latino youth. Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal, 34(2),
injuries, physical abuse, domestic violence, natural and man- following the intervention.
backgrounds—some of them have access to the services 181–189.
made disasters.
they need while others do not—our students also come from https://doi-org.proxy181.nclive.org/10.1007/s10560-016-0486-9
Barnett, Cleary, Butcher, and Jankowski (2018) conducted a diverse cultural backgrounds.
The intervention consists of 10 group sessions, lasting study to examine whether trauma-informed serves would make a
Barnett, E. R., Cleary, S. E., Butcher, R. L., & Jankowski, M. K.
approximately 50-60 minutes. It also includes 1 to 3 individual difference in foster parent and adoptive parent’s perspectives and Some of the students we serve are in the foster care system (2018). Children’s behavioral health needs and satisfaction and
sessions, 2 parent psychoeducational sessions, and 1 teacher satisfaction with their child’s behavioral health. Their results or are adopted, either domestically or internationally. commitment of foster and adoptive parents: Do trauma-informed
educational session. indicate that services did make a difference for foster parents.
services make a difference?. Psychological Trauma: Theory,
It is likely that many of the students we serve have been Research, Practice, And Policy, doi:10.1037/tra000035
It is designed to reduce symptoms of posttraumatic stress Blodgett & Lanigan (2018) conducted a study and found that as impacted by trauma in some way.
disorder (PTSD), depression, behavioral problems, and to the rate of ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) increases so
School counselors can help parents understand how trauma Blodgett, C., & Lanigan, J. D. (2018). The Association between
improve functioning, grades and attendance, peer and parent does the risk of having a variety of school related problems.
impacts learning but also provide school interventions (such Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) and School Success in
support, and coping skills.
as CBITS) that gives all students access. Elementary School Children. School Psychology Quarterly,
Goodkind, LaNoue, and Milford (2010) also adapted and 33(1), 137–146. Retrieved from
implemented CBITS with American Indian students, although https://login.proxy181.nclive.org/login?url=http://
This research suggests that there is a positive correlation
their study was not conducted on a reservation. These search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
between a child’s age and the number of traumatic
researchers also saw a reduction in PTSD symptoms following direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1175451&site=ehost-live
experiences they have had, as the number of traumatic
the CBITS program, even 3-months after the intervention. They
experiences increases, so does the likelihood that students
suggest that future research should examine whether symptom
will begin to develop problems at school. Goodkind, J. R., LaNoue, M. D., & Milford, J. (2010).
reduction would continue at the 6-month mark and further.
Adaptation and Implementation of Cognitive Behavioral
School counselors have a responsibility to advocate for Intervention for Trauma in Schools with American Indian Youth.
Hoover et. al. (2018) examined a state-wide initiative to services that help these students---CBITS may be one way Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 39(6), 858–
implement CBITS into several different schools in the state. that school counselors can directly address trauma in their 872.
Results indicate that many students presented initially with high schools and by collecting data, potentially add to the current https://doi-org.proxy181.nclive.org/
symptoms, thus the authors conclude that there is a high need for body of research on the effectiveness of CBITS. 10.1080/15374416.2010.517166
direct, trauma-informed services to students. Many of the
National Assembly on School-Based Health Care. [Presentation diagram of authors found that students may not have access to services Depending on the population at your school, you may Hoover, S. A., Sapere, H., Lang, J. M., Nadeem, E., Dean, K. L.,
Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools]. Retrieved from
outside of the school, so having services that address trauma in consider adapting the CBITS program to be more culturally
https://slideplayer.com/slide/3469902/ & Vona, P. (2018). Statewide implementation of an evidence-
the schools is vitally important for student success. relevant to your population as other studies have done. based trauma intervention in schools. School Psychology
Methods   Quarterly, 33(1), 44–53.
Morsette et. al. (2009) adapted CBITS to be culturally relevant Consider the feasibility of adding the CBITS + Family https://doi-org.proxy181.nclive.org/10.1037/spq0000248
Eight peer-reviewed research studies were examined and the for American Indian students on a rural reservation. Their component to the program, which gave parents 8 hours of
results compiled to determine the effectiveness of CBITS on research study also showed a reduction in symptoms following information time versus the usual 2 hours.
Morsette, A., Swaney, G., Stolle, D., Schuldberg, D., van den
reducing the symptoms of trauma in school-aged children. the CBITS program and these authors suggest that further
Pol, R., & Young, M. (2009). Cognitive Behavioral Intervention
research should look at making the CBITS program culturally
Resources   relevant for other people groups. Conclusions   for Trauma in Schools (CBITS): School-based treatment on a
rural American Indian reservation. Journal of Behavior Therapy
The research studies findings have significant impact on the & Experimental Psychiatry, 40(1), 169–178.
More information is available at https://cbitsprogram.org/ Santiago et. al. (2015) examined whether adding an additional field of counseling, and more specifically, the field of https://doi-org.proxy181.nclive.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2008.07.006
family component (CBITS + Family) to the usual CBITS professional school counseling. Nearly ever study found that
What if I am interested but my district does not have access to program would show any different results in terms of parental there was a high number of students who were exposed to
clinicians for the delivery of the program? SSET may be an option to Santiago, C. D., Fuller, A. K., Lennon, J. M., & Kataoka, S. H.
perceptions and participation. The authors found that parents had trauma in each school in the various studies. Many of the
consider. (2016). Parent perspectives from participating in a family
higher satisfaction rates with the CBITS + Family component. students initially presented with some symptoms of PTSD but component for CBITS: Acceptability of a culturally informed
nearly all of the eight studies saw a reduction in symptoms by school-based program. Psychological Trauma: Theory,
Support for Students Exposed to Trauma (SSET)
Santiago, Fuller, Lennon, and Kataoka (2016) then conducted a the end of the CBITS intervention, suggesting that CBITS is an Research, Practice, and Policy, 8(3), 325–333.
•  a series of 10 lessons with a structured approach that aims to reduce
distress resulting from exposure to trauma qualitative study to examine the parent’s perspective of effective intervention for reducing the symptoms of PTSD in 5th https://doi-org.proxy181.nclive.org/10.1037/tra0000076
participating in the CBITS + Family program. The authors found thru 12th grade students.
•  designed to be implemented by teachers or school counselors in
groups of 8 to 10 middle school students high rates of satisfaction among parents who participated and
Contact   Santiago, C. D., Kataoka, S. H., Hu-Cordova, M., Alvarado-
•  the program includes a wide variety of skill-building techniques also found that parents felt there was a need for this type of
Goldberg, K., Maher, L. M., & Escudero, P. (2015). Preliminary
geared toward changing maladaptive thoughts and promoting program.
positive behaviors
Evaluation of a Family Treatment Component to Augment a
Allyson Overly – aeo002@bravemail.uncp.edu School-Based Intervention Serving Low-Income Families.
•  Available for purchase at:
https://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR675.html
Kristen Weibe – kristenweibe@yahoo.com Journal of Emotional & Behavioral Disorders, 23(1), 28–39.
https://doi-org.proxy181.nclive.org/10.1177/1063426613503497
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