Game-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Individual Model for Child Sexual Abuse Craig Springer and Justin R. Misurell Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark, New Jersey Game-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (GB-CBT) Individual Model for child sexual abuse (CSA) uses structured therapeutic games and activities as primary techniques to teach skills, process trauma, and assist children and their families following CSA. GB-CBT is a modular-manualized treatment that integrates empir- ically supported components of Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy including social skills building, psychoeducation about child sexual abuse, personal safety skills training and exposure treatment with play therapy interventions. Treat- ment utilizes developmentally appropriate games designed to allow children and nonoffending caregivers to process their abuse experiences and learn skills necessary to overcome trauma in a nonthreatening, fun, and engaging manner. Clinicians may select developmentally appropriate games from a menu of options in order to meet the specific therapeutic needs of children and families. The implementation of these techniques, allows clinicians to address a variety of psychosocial symptoms that are commonly found among children who have experienced sexual abuse. Techniques and procedures for treatment delivery with a description of core components and therapeutic modules are discussed. A case example is presented in order to illustrate the clinical application of using GB-CBT to treat CSA. Keywords: game-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (GB-CBT), trauma, child sexual abuse (CSA), evidenced-based practice, developmentally appropriate games (DAGs) Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a phenomenon that is associated with a number of immediate and long-term behavioral and emotional difficulties for the child victim and their families (Zielinski, 2009). Although symptomatology following CSA varies considerably, there is consensus among mental health practitioners that psychological treatment is an important part of the recovery process (Runyon, Deblinger, & Schroeder, 2009). Research has shown that receiving expedient medical and psychological care following abuse can alleviate immediate symptom- atology and minimize the development of future difficulties (Trask, Walsh, & Craig Springer and Justin R. Misurell, Metropolitan Regional Diagnostic and Treatment Center, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark, New Jersey. The provision of treatment using the GB-CBT-IM for child sexual abuse was partially funded by a 2010 Federal Appropriations–Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA; FY2010-2011) grant. Correspondence concerning this article and requests for additional information and/or training should be addressed to Craig Springer, Metropolitan Regional Diagnostic and Treatment Center, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Wynona’s House Child Advocacy Center, 185 Washington Street, Newark, NJ 07102. E-mail: cspringer@barnabashealth.org 188 International Journal of Play Therapy © 2012 Association for Play Therapy 2012, Vol. 21, No. 4, 188 –201 1555-6824/12/$12.00 DOI: 10.1037/a0030197 This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers. This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly.