Developmental Trauma Disorder (DTD) as a Diagnostic and Therapeutic Model in Working with Children: Analysis of the Effectiveness of Trauma-Focused Interventions and Avenues for Adaptation

Millions of children worldwide experience mental health issues due to repeated exposure to violence, war, maltreatment, and deprivation. This thesis provides a literature review examining Developmental Trauma Disorder (DTD) as a framework for understanding and addressing the effects of chronic interpersonal trauma in children. DTD is a proposed but still provisional construct that may help organize complex symptom profiles, including emotional, behavioral, relational, and developmental difficulties. Analyzing trauma-focused interventions for children, with a focus on Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Narrative Exposure Therapy for children (KIDNET), this thesis suggests that TF-CBT has the strongest support for maltreatment-related PTSD, while EMDR and KIDNET represent promising alternatives, particularly for young people with trauma-related symptoms and repeated trauma histories. However, these interventions are still mainly evaluated through PTSD symptom reduction, whereas children with chronic trauma histories may continue to struggle with emotion regulation, self-concept, attachment, peer relationships, and social functioning. Therefore, the DTD model may inform adaptations of existing interventions. It proposes broader assessment and case conceptualization across DTD-related domains, together with additional treatment components targeting emotion regulation, social skills, attachment security, and self-concept. Overall, DTD is presented not as a replacement for existing diagnoses but as a useful framework for identifying treatment gaps and guiding more developmentally informed interventions.