Efficacy of trauma-informed care interventions on post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective

This study assessed the effectiveness of trauma-informed care (TIC) in diminishing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms in adolescents.

Method

A systematic search was performed across PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang Database from inception to April 2026. We included Randomized Controlled Trials or quasi-experimental studies that compared TIC interventions against control conditions for PTSD symptoms in individuals aged 12-18 years. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data, and evaluated methodological quality. The meta-analysis, conducted using RevMan 5.4, calculated the standardized mean difference (SMD) along with its 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

In total, 15 studies comprising 1572 adolescents were included. The analysis revealed that TIC interventions led to a significantly greater reduction in PTSD symptoms for adolescents than seen in control groups. The meta-analysis revealed a moderate-to-large reduction in PTSD symptoms favoring TIC (SMD = -0.71, 95% CI: -0.92 to -0.50, p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses identified individualized interventions and those for complex trauma as particularly effective. Benefits were sustained at 3-6 months follow-up (SMD = -0.58, 95% CI: -0.82 to -0.34).

Conclusion

TIC offers an effective framework for easing adolescent PTSD. These findings have direct implications for pediatric nursing practice, suggesting that incorporating TIC principles into nursing care can significantly enhance outcomes for traumatized adolescents. Individualized methods are especially beneficial for complex trauma cases. Future work should investigate its long-term applicability and effectiveness across diverse cultural settings.