Exposure-based therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adults

We review the main components of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in the treatment of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the various treatment protocols that were found to be effective in treating this disorder in adult and pediatric populations. We highlight Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy, which received strong empirical support, and was widely disseminated in Israel. We provide a detailed description of the PE treatment protocol for adults and children, and review studies conducted in Israel. We discuss clinical issues commonly raised by professionals starting to utilize PE and other trauma-focused treatment protocols. Finally, we discuss the open questions in the treatment of PTSD, and suggest some ideas for future research.