Recognizing and Treating Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Refugee Children

ABSTRACT Many migrant children experience abuse and neglect in their home country, abuse during their migration journey, and cultural dislocation in their final destination. It has been well documented that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as those experienced by migrant children can lead to long-term physical and psychological negative effects including the development of complex trauma (C-PTSD). Using a composite of similar cases treated by the author, Maria, a Mexican refugee, is presented in order to explore treatment options for refugee children and the challenges involved in treating this population. We demonstrate how Trauma Systems Therapy for Refugees (TST-R) can be used to treat C-PTSD in migrant children. We also discuss using art therapy, role-playing, psychodynamic psychotherapy, narrative exposure therapy and psychoeducation in an environment that takes into account the cultural background of the child’s country of origin how to approach the time limited treatment that is sometimes necessary when working with refugees.