The impact of trauma on executive functions, and the ability of effective therapies to address any difficulties, is frequently overlooked. This recent PhD dissertation examined executive function following trauma-focussed therapy for youth with interpersonal trauma histories and significant PTSD symptoms. The findings showed reductions in global and specific executive function difficulties during treatment for both children and adolescents, and a positive association between improvements in overall executive function and PTSD symptoms for adolescents. Practitioners should be alert to these post-traumatic executive function difficulties and be reasonably optimistic that they can improve with effective treatment.

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