- Mar
- 01
- 2021
Implementing Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Children with Histories of Trauma and Psychopathology in Inpatient Settings: Lessons Learned and Factors to Consider
Description: Growing literature suggests the feasibility of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) among youth with mental health conditions (Zoogman et al., 2015). Many protocols, however, have been implemented in outpatient settings with little attention given to psychiatric inpatient youth, most of whom have history of trauma and acute psychopathology. In this presentation Dr. Kostova will present results from a pilot study, investigating the feasibility and efficacy of an adapted version of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Children (MBCT-C; Semple & Lee, 2011) in an inpatient young adult unit. The presentation will start with an overview of the type of population and rates of trauma and psychiatric symptoms among youth in inpatient settings, evidencing some service needs and gaps in treatment. Dr. Kostova will describe an MBCT-C prototype intervention, which address the specific needs…
About Speaker
Zlatina Kostova, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist and instructor of psychiatry at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. With a strikingly multidisciplinary and multicultural education obtained in Bulgaria, Italy, Switzerland and the US, she has a strong background in clinical psychology and her main interests lie in the area of childhood trauma and mindfulness-based interventions. Dr. Kostova obtained her doctorate at the Universita’ della Svizzera italiana, Switzerland and she achieved her post-doctoral specialization at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in the US which involved clinical work in inpatient and outpatient settings alongside work on several grant funded research projects.
Dr. Kostova’s research focuses on the implementation of mindfulness-based interventions for children and adolescents with mental health conditions and histories of trauma. She conducted a research study, implementing Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Children (MBCT-C) in an inpatient psychiatric hospital for children and adolescents. Dr. Kostova is also involved in several research projects, investigating the efficacy and dissemination of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy among children and adolescents. Dr. Kostova authored several peer-reviewed journal articles, contributed to book chapters, and presented to a number of international scientific conferences.
Dr. Kostova is an international trainer in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), an MBCT qualified teacher and she is also a certified trainer for teaching trauma-informed curricula developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), including the Core Concepts of Childhood Trauma and Resource Parents Curriculum. Dr. Kostova is the NCTSN representative in Italy and Switzerland, where she is currently implementing evidence-based treatments for children and adolescents and collaborating with several universities and networks.