TF-CBT 2026/2027 EVALUATION EXAM QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔What are the most important keys to successful conjoint parent-child sessions? -
✔✔Preparation and practice with both the child and the caregiver prior to parent-child
sessions.
Preparation is key; Conjoint sessions can be very powerful emotional experiences, and
it's important to try to minimize the possibility of any unexpected or "surprise" reactions.
This can be achieved with practice.
✔✔Which of the following is the main reason that discussion of safety issues is
conducted at the end of TF-CBT? - ✔✔Fully processing the trauma narrative before
talking about safety helps to avoid confusion about self-blame
Generally, you want to avoid discussing risk reduction strategies until the child has had
an opportunity to work through any issues he or she might have related to self-blame.
✔✔Which of the following statements about creating safety plans is true? - ✔✔Safety
plans should be discussed with and practiced by youth and caregivers in session
Enacting safety behaviors in session should increase the child's (and caregiver's)
confidence that they can be acted on when needed.
✔✔The primary long-term goal of the Enhancing Safety module is focused on: -
✔✔Minimizing additional risk for repeat victimization
Repeat victimization is very common for trauma-exposed children, and the main
purpose of the module is to try to reduce the child's risk for exposure to additional
trauma.
✔✔Which of the following statements best explains why therapists are instructed to
praise children's responses to their previous traumas as part of the enhancing safety
component? - ✔✔Praising the child's response reinforces the idea that the child was not
responsible for preventing the trauma
Highlighting a positive aspect of the child's reaction to trauma reinforces appropriate
messages about who is at fault for the traumatic event.
✔✔In addition to safety planning to reduce the risk of future victimization, what is
another important topic to cover during this component? - ✔✔What each family member
learned during therapy
It is always a helpful review/refresher to discuss what the child and caregiver got out of
TF-CBT participation.
✔✔ What is the typical length of a full course of TF-CBT? - ✔✔12-25 sessions
A typical course of TF-CBT should take somewhere between 3-5 months of reqular
weekly sessions.
, ✔✔. How often should TF-CBT treatment sessions be conducted? - ✔✔Once a week or
more frequently
Weekly sessions are the TF-CBT standard, and treatment can be delivered more
frequently if circumstances make that possible.
✔✔For what age range of children has TF-CBT been found to be effective? - ✔✔3-18
years
Research demonstrating TF-CBT's efficacy has included children as young as 3 and as
old as 18.
✔✔Which of the following statements is NOT true for TF-CBT? - ✔✔All children who
have experienced at least one potentially traumatic event are good candidates for TF-
CBT
Simply experiencing a trauma does not make a child a good candidate for TF-CBT;
trauma-related symptoms must be present, as well.
✔✔Lila is a 10-year-old girl referred to you by a school counselor due to misbehavior in
school and decreased academic performance that both have become serious problems
over the past 3 months. Your trauma assessment revealed that she had been in a
serious car crash about three years ago, suffering some minor physical injuries. Neither
she nor her parents report any other traumatic events. Her mother reported no
difficulties related to the car crash and Lila's score on a standardized measure of PTSD
symptoms was in the low normal range. Is Lila a good treatment candidate for TF-CBT
and why? - ✔✔No, she does not have clinically significant trauma-related problems that
require trauma-focused treatment.
TF-CBT should be provided to kids who have experienced trauma AND who report
some symptoms of PTSD
✔✔Which of the following is a TF-CBT treatment goal for participating parents and
caregivers? - ✔✔To increase caregiver support of the child, parenting skills, and parent-
child communication
Some of the other response options may be ancillary benefits of TF-CBT in some
cases, but they are not explicit treatment goals.
✔✔Which of the following is NOT a problem that should be managed prior to beginning
TF-CBT? - ✔✔Child has significant academic problems and is failing
Issues that pertain to the safety of the child or others in the child's environment need to
be addressed prior to beginning TF-CBT. Academic problems generally do not rise to
this standard.
✔✔What treatment elements should be included in every session of TF-CBT? -
✔✔Parenting Skills and Gradual Exposure
The trauma should be discussed in every session of TF-CBT (as the PRAC skills are
applied to trauma-related problems, for example), and parent sessions should include
some discussion of parenting
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔What are the most important keys to successful conjoint parent-child sessions? -
✔✔Preparation and practice with both the child and the caregiver prior to parent-child
sessions.
Preparation is key; Conjoint sessions can be very powerful emotional experiences, and
it's important to try to minimize the possibility of any unexpected or "surprise" reactions.
This can be achieved with practice.
✔✔Which of the following is the main reason that discussion of safety issues is
conducted at the end of TF-CBT? - ✔✔Fully processing the trauma narrative before
talking about safety helps to avoid confusion about self-blame
Generally, you want to avoid discussing risk reduction strategies until the child has had
an opportunity to work through any issues he or she might have related to self-blame.
✔✔Which of the following statements about creating safety plans is true? - ✔✔Safety
plans should be discussed with and practiced by youth and caregivers in session
Enacting safety behaviors in session should increase the child's (and caregiver's)
confidence that they can be acted on when needed.
✔✔The primary long-term goal of the Enhancing Safety module is focused on: -
✔✔Minimizing additional risk for repeat victimization
Repeat victimization is very common for trauma-exposed children, and the main
purpose of the module is to try to reduce the child's risk for exposure to additional
trauma.
✔✔Which of the following statements best explains why therapists are instructed to
praise children's responses to their previous traumas as part of the enhancing safety
component? - ✔✔Praising the child's response reinforces the idea that the child was not
responsible for preventing the trauma
Highlighting a positive aspect of the child's reaction to trauma reinforces appropriate
messages about who is at fault for the traumatic event.
✔✔In addition to safety planning to reduce the risk of future victimization, what is
another important topic to cover during this component? - ✔✔What each family member
learned during therapy
It is always a helpful review/refresher to discuss what the child and caregiver got out of
TF-CBT participation.
✔✔ What is the typical length of a full course of TF-CBT? - ✔✔12-25 sessions
A typical course of TF-CBT should take somewhere between 3-5 months of reqular
weekly sessions.
, ✔✔. How often should TF-CBT treatment sessions be conducted? - ✔✔Once a week or
more frequently
Weekly sessions are the TF-CBT standard, and treatment can be delivered more
frequently if circumstances make that possible.
✔✔For what age range of children has TF-CBT been found to be effective? - ✔✔3-18
years
Research demonstrating TF-CBT's efficacy has included children as young as 3 and as
old as 18.
✔✔Which of the following statements is NOT true for TF-CBT? - ✔✔All children who
have experienced at least one potentially traumatic event are good candidates for TF-
CBT
Simply experiencing a trauma does not make a child a good candidate for TF-CBT;
trauma-related symptoms must be present, as well.
✔✔Lila is a 10-year-old girl referred to you by a school counselor due to misbehavior in
school and decreased academic performance that both have become serious problems
over the past 3 months. Your trauma assessment revealed that she had been in a
serious car crash about three years ago, suffering some minor physical injuries. Neither
she nor her parents report any other traumatic events. Her mother reported no
difficulties related to the car crash and Lila's score on a standardized measure of PTSD
symptoms was in the low normal range. Is Lila a good treatment candidate for TF-CBT
and why? - ✔✔No, she does not have clinically significant trauma-related problems that
require trauma-focused treatment.
TF-CBT should be provided to kids who have experienced trauma AND who report
some symptoms of PTSD
✔✔Which of the following is a TF-CBT treatment goal for participating parents and
caregivers? - ✔✔To increase caregiver support of the child, parenting skills, and parent-
child communication
Some of the other response options may be ancillary benefits of TF-CBT in some
cases, but they are not explicit treatment goals.
✔✔Which of the following is NOT a problem that should be managed prior to beginning
TF-CBT? - ✔✔Child has significant academic problems and is failing
Issues that pertain to the safety of the child or others in the child's environment need to
be addressed prior to beginning TF-CBT. Academic problems generally do not rise to
this standard.
✔✔What treatment elements should be included in every session of TF-CBT? -
✔✔Parenting Skills and Gradual Exposure
The trauma should be discussed in every session of TF-CBT (as the PRAC skills are
applied to trauma-related problems, for example), and parent sessions should include
some discussion of parenting
