How therapy changes the teenage brain after trauma

This research study is testing whether a well-established therapy called Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) changes how the brain works in teenagers with PTSD from abuse or violence. Researchers will use brain scans to see what happens in different parts of the brain as teenagers go through the three phases of treatment. This helps doctors understand exactly how and why this treatment works, so they can develop better or more personalized approaches for youth who don't improve with current methods.

About 1 in 5 teenagers with PTSD don't improve enough with today's standard treatments, and doctors don't fully understand how the brain changes during therapy. By tracking brain activity throughout the treatment phases, this study aims to unlock the biological mechanisms that make therapy work — knowledge that could lead to better or personalized treatments for struggling youth.