TF - CBT EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
1. 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
regularly weekly sessions.
2. . 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Lila is a 10-year-old girl referred to you by a school counselor due
to misbe- havior 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
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. What treatment elements should be included in every session of TF-
CBT?: Par- enting 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
9. Which TF-CBT treatment components make up the
Integration/Consolidation Phase of treatment?: In Vivo Mastery, Conjoint Sessions,
and Enhancing Future Safety and Development Integration/Consolidation is the final phase of TF-
CBT treatment and includes all the components after the creation and processing of the Trauma
Narrative.
10. Samuel is a 14-year-old boy with a cognitive disability who
functions at about the level of a 5-year-old. He was referred to you
by a child welfare worker after a report of physical abuse by his
mother. Your trauma assessment found that Samuel had a long
history of significant physical abuse by both his parents. Samuel
reported that when his parents beat him, it was his fault because he
did something wrong, and that he usually deserved the punishment.
He often felt guilty about causing his parents to hit him and
ashamed of himself for being bad. A standardized measure of PTSD
symptoms completed by his current caregiver, an aunt, was in the
high normal range. Is Samuel a good treatment candidate for TF-CBT and
why?: Yes, Samuel's problems with guilt, self-blame, and shame are clinically significant
trauma related problems that can be treated with TF-CBT.
Despite Samuel's disability, he is functioning at a developmental level for which TF-CBT is appropriate,
and his self-blame and emotional symptoms are appropriate treatment targets.
ANSWERS
1. 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
regularly weekly sessions.
2. . 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Lila is a 10-year-old girl referred to you by a school counselor due
to misbe- havior 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
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. What treatment elements should be included in every session of TF-
CBT?: Par- enting 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
9. Which TF-CBT treatment components make up the
Integration/Consolidation Phase of treatment?: In Vivo Mastery, Conjoint Sessions,
and Enhancing Future Safety and Development Integration/Consolidation is the final phase of TF-
CBT treatment and includes all the components after the creation and processing of the Trauma
Narrative.
10. Samuel is a 14-year-old boy with a cognitive disability who
functions at about the level of a 5-year-old. He was referred to you
by a child welfare worker after a report of physical abuse by his
mother. Your trauma assessment found that Samuel had a long
history of significant physical abuse by both his parents. Samuel
reported that when his parents beat him, it was his fault because he
did something wrong, and that he usually deserved the punishment.
He often felt guilty about causing his parents to hit him and
ashamed of himself for being bad. A standardized measure of PTSD
symptoms completed by his current caregiver, an aunt, was in the
high normal range. Is Samuel a good treatment candidate for TF-CBT and
why?: Yes, Samuel's problems with guilt, self-blame, and shame are clinically significant
trauma related problems that can be treated with TF-CBT.
Despite Samuel's disability, he is functioning at a developmental level for which TF-CBT is appropriate,
and his self-blame and emotional symptoms are appropriate treatment targets.
