{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]],"date-time":"2026-09-10T15:48:29Z","timestamp":1789055309505,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":55,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,11]],"date-time":"2026-05-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1778457600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Medicina"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in ages 3\u201318 is associated with disturbances in attention, working memory, processing speed, and executive control, as well as persistent difficulties in affect regulation. These neuropsychological vulnerabilities might interfere with learning, peer relationships, and the consolidation of age-appropriate developmental skills. Methods: We conducted a narrative review informed by a structured literature search in PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Embase, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. English-language publications from 1990 to 2025 were considered if they examined (1) neuropsychological outcomes of trauma exposure or PTSD in youth and\/or (2) interventions with potential to modify neurocognitive or affective functioning, including trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), mindfulness-based interventions, cognitive rehabilitation strategies, and biofeedback\/neurofeedback. Results: Across study designs, trauma exposure and PTSD in youth are consistently linked to impairments in attentional control and executive functioning, with downstream effects on everyday memory and academic performance. Neurobiological studies commonly implicate altered reactivity within amygdala-centered threat circuits and reduced top-down modulation by prefrontal networks, although findings vary with trauma type, developmental stage, and comorbidity. TF-CBT remains the best-supported intervention for pediatric PTSD symptoms; however, neurocognitive outcomes are measured less frequently. Mindfulness-based programs show promise for strengthening attention and emotion regulation when carefully adapted for trauma-exposed youth. Neurofeedback and targeted cognitive rehabilitation represent emerging approaches with preliminary evidence, but the literature remains heterogeneous. Conclusions: An intervention strategy that combines symptom-focused trauma therapy with explicit targeting of executive control, memory processes, and affect regulation may represent a developmentally informed clinical framework for trauma-exposed youth. Future trials need to incorporate standardized neuropsychological endpoints and examine moderators that inform treatment matching.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina62050933","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,25]],"date-time":"2026-05-25T08:06:26Z","timestamp":1779696386000},"page":"933","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Neuropsychological Functioning and Coping Strategy Intervention Approaches in Youth with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"62","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5861-7199","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kalliopi","family":"Megari","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, University of York, Europe Campus, L. Sofou 3, 54621 Thessaloniki, Greece"},{"name":"School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Department of Psychology, University of Western Macedonia, 53100 Florina, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8690-0314","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dimitra V.","family":"Katsarou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design, University of the Aegean, 85132 Rhodes, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2362-2094","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Georgios A.","family":"Kougioumtzis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Turkish Studies and Modern Asian Studies, Faculty of Economic and Political Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Evangelos","family":"Mantsos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Western Macedonia, 50200 Ptolemaida, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0380-2220","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria","family":"Sofologi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Early Childhood Education, School of Education, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Agathi","family":"Argyriadi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, American University in Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai P.O. Box 28282, United Arab Emirates"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5754-4787","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alexandros","family":"Argyriadis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0411-1720","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Efthymia","family":"Efthymiou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi 144534, United Arab Emirates"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1004","DOI":"10.1002\/ebch.1916","article-title":"Psychological therapies for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents (Review)","volume":"8","author":"Gillies","year":"2013","journal-title":"Evid.-Based Child Health A Cochrane Rev. 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