Community Trial of an Evidence-Based Anxiety Intervention for Children and Adolescents (the FRIENDS Program): A Pilot Study

2005 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 236-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara J. Farrell ◽  
Paula M. Barrett ◽  
Susanne Claassens
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Diagnostic Interview ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Behavioural Intervention ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
Positive Treatment ◽  
Community Trial

AbstractThe aim of the current pilot study was to examine the effectiveness of the FRIENDS program (a cognitive–behavioural intervention for children and adolescents with anxiety) within a community-based clinic in Brisbane, Australia. A total of 18 children participated in the study and completed the FRIENDS program at Pathways Health and Research Centre, an innovative research-based psychology clinic for children, adolescents and families. All participants either met criteria for an anxiety disorder (N = 11) or were experiencing subclinical symptoms of anxiety (N = 7) before commencing the intervention. Before and following treatment, participants were assessed using a diagnostic interview and completed a number of self-report questionnaires. Results indicated that 73% of the participants who met criteria for an anxiety disorder before the intervention were diagnosis-free following treatment. Positive treatment effects were also found for questionnaire data, indicating that there were significant reductions on self-report levels of anxiety and depression following treatment. The outcome of this research suggests that the FRIENDS program is an effective treatment for children with anxiety, and results from this community trial replicate findings from controlled treatment trials.

Social phobia in children and adolescents: assessment and treatment

1996 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-106
Author(s):  
Neville King ◽  
Chris Madden ◽  
Bruce Tonge
Keyword(s):  
Social Phobia ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Diagnostic Interview ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Assessment Instruments ◽  
Research Support ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Behavioural Strategies

A small proportion of children and adolescents experience a debilitating level of social anxiety, known as social phobia. Initially, we consider the phenomenology and aetiology of social phobia in children and adolescents. A number of age-sensitive assessment instruments or tools are briefly considered: a diagnostic interview, self-report instruments, cognitive assessment and self-monitoring. We explore cognitive-behavioural strategies that have been found to be useful in the management of social phobia. Although there is much research support for the efficacy of cognitive-behavioural strategies for adults with social phobia, it is emphasized that controlled evaluations have yet to be undertaken with socially phobic youngsters.

Evaluation of a Brief Child-focused Group-based Intervention for Anxiety-disordered Children

2003 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa E. Cobham
Keyword(s):  
Rating Scales ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Diagnostic Interview ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Behavioural Intervention ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
Behaviour Rating ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural Intervention

AbstractThis paper presents a pilot study of a brief, group-based, cognitive-behavioural intervention for anxiety-disordered children. Five children (aged 7 to 13 years) diagnosed with a clinically significant anxiety disorder were treated with a recently developed 6-session, child-focused, cognitive-behavioural intervention that was evaluated using multiple measures (including structured diagnostic interview, self-report questionnaires and behaviour rating scales completed by parents) over four follow-up occasions (post-treatment, 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up and 12-month follow-up). This trial aimed to (a) evaluate the conclusion suggested by the research of Cobham, Dadds, and Spence (1998) that anxious children with non-anxious parents require a child-focused intervention only in order to demonstrate sustained clinical gains; and (b) to evaluate a new and more cost-effective child-focused cognitive-behavioural intervention. Unfortunately, the return rate of the questionnaires was poor, rendering this data source of questionable value. However, diagnostic interviews (traditionally the gold standard in terms of outcome in this research area) were completed for all children at all follow-up points. Changes in diagnostic status indicated that meaningful treatment-related gains had been achieved and were maintained over the full follow-up period. The results would thus seem to support the principle of participant-intervention matching proposed by Cobham et al. (1998), as well as the utility of the more brief intervention evaluated.

scholarly journals Online Attention Bias Modification in Combination With Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Children and Adolescents With Anxiety Disorders: A Randomised Controlled Trial

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 200-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasmijn M. de Lijster ◽  
Gwendolyn C. Dieleman ◽  
Elisabeth M.W.J. Utens ◽  
Jan van der Ende ◽  
Tamsin M. Alexander ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Attention Bias ◽  
Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Attention Bias Modification ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
Secondary Outcomes ◽  
Bias Modification

AbstractAttention Bias Modification (ABM) targets attention bias (AB) towards threat, which is common in youth with anxiety disorders. Previous clinical trials showed inconsistent results regarding the efficacy of ABM, and few studies have examined the effect of online ABM and its augmented effect with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). The aim of the current study was to examine the efficacy of online ABM combined with CBT for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Children (aged 8–16 years) completed nine online sessions of ABM (n= 28) or online sessions of the Attention Control Condition (ACC;n= 27) over a period of 3 weeks (modified dot-probe task with anxiety disorder-congruent stimuli), followed by CBT. Primary outcomes were clinician-reported anxiety disorder status. Secondary outcomes were patient-reported anxiety and depression symptoms and AB. Results showed a continuous decrease across time in primary and secondary outcomes (ps < .001). However, no differences across time between the ABM and ACC group were found (ps > .50). Baseline AB and age did not moderate treatment effects. Online ABM combined with CBT does not show different efficacy compared with online ACC with CBT for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders.

Cognitive-behavioural Intervention with a Depressed Adolescent Experiencing School Attendance Difficulties

1998 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Rollings ◽  
Neville King ◽  
Bruce Tonge ◽  
David Heyne ◽  
Dawn Young
Keyword(s):  
School Attendance ◽  
School Refusal ◽  
Behavioural Intervention ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
Depressed Adolescent ◽  
Positive Treatment ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural Intervention ◽  
Treatment Gains

This article describes a cognitive-behavioural intervention implemented over 10 sessions with an adolescent girl experiencing school refusal and depression. Treatment focused on the learning of various coping skills to deal with stressful situations at home and school. Following a decision to change schools, a rapid school return was employed. A multimethod, multisource evaluation was used at pretreatment, posttreatment, and follow-up assessments. The data indicated positive treatment outcomes: the adolescent returned to full-time attendance at school and exhibited decreased levels of emotional distress. The treatment gains were maintained at a 3-month follow-up.

Applying the Clark-Wells Model of Social Phobia to Children: The Case of a “Dictation Phobia”

2005 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Ahrens-Eipper ◽  
Jürgen Hoyer
Keyword(s):  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Social Phobia ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Case Formulation ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural ◽  
The Social ◽  
Positive Treatment ◽  
Overall Functioning

A specific type of social phobia – dictation phobia – was the main and unusual treatment problem in the cognitive-behavioural therapy for an 11-year-old schoolboy. For case formulation and treatment rationale, the social phobia model by Clark and Wells was used. The posttreatment assessment revealed clear positive treatment effects with respect to school grades, social anxiety and overall functioning. The model's applicability for children and adolescents is discussed.

scholarly journals The multidimensional evaluation and treatment of anxiety in children and adolescents: rationale, design, methods and preliminary findings

2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Abrahão Salum ◽  
Luciano Rassier Isolan ◽  
Vera Lúcia Bosa ◽  
Andrea Goya Tocchetto ◽  
Stefania Pigatto Teche ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Separation Anxiety ◽  
Treatment Phase ◽  
Diagnostic Interview ◽  
Separation Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Design Methods ◽  
Community Screening ◽  
Multidimensional Evaluation

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe the design, methods and sample characteristics of the Multidimensional Evaluation and Treatment of Anxiety in Children and Adolescents - the PROTAIA Project. METHOD: Students between 10 and 17 years old from all six schools belonging to the catchment area of the Primary Care Unit of Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre were included in the project. It comprises five phases: (1) a community screening phase; (2) a psychiatric diagnostic phase; (3) a multidimensional assessment phase evaluating environmental, neuropsychological, nutritional, and biological factors; (4) a treatment phase, and (5) a translational phase. RESULTS: A total of 2,457 subjects from the community were screened for anxiety disorders. From those who attended the diagnostic interview, we identified 138 individuals with at least one anxiety disorder (apart from specific phobia) and 102 individuals without any anxiety disorder. Among the anxiety cases, generalized anxiety disorder (n = 95; 68.8%), social anxiety disorder (n = 57; 41.3%) and separation anxiety disorder (n = 49; 35.5%) were the most frequent disorders. CONCLUSION: The PROTAIA Project is a promising research project that can contribute to the knowledge of the relationship between anxiety disorders and anxiety-related phenotypes with several genetic and environmental risk factors.

Stress Control: A Pilot Study of Large Group Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder

1990 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim White ◽  
Mary Keenan
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Group Therapy ◽  
Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Group Treatment ◽  
Care Service ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Generalized Anxiety ◽  
Large Group ◽  
Cost Effective Treatment

A pilot study is reported on a six session didactic large group treatment package for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) patients referred to a primary care service. Thirty patients underwent the course. By combining a didactic therapy element with workshops, the therapy package allowed a much larger number of individuals to attend the group than could be dealt with in “traditional” group therapy. Two psychologists ran the course. There were few practical difficulties involved in running the course and the range of self-report outcome measures suggest that large group didactic therapy may be a clinically and cost-effective treatment for GAD.

Childhood Fears and Phobias: Advances in Assessment and Treatment

2005 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 199-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neville J. King ◽  
Peter Muris ◽  
Thomas H. Ollendick ◽  
Eleonora Gullone
Keyword(s):  
Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Diagnostic Interview ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Behavioural Intervention ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Psychodynamic Treatment ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Animal Phobias ◽  
Recent Developments

AbstractThe specific phobias in children, such as night-time fears and animal phobias, should not be underestimated since they cause personal distress to the child and also much interference with daily activities. Intervention plans should be informed by multimethod assessment, using tools that are empirically sound and developmentally sensitive. This article selectively reviews a number of assessment tools including structured diagnostic interview schedules, standardised instruments such as anxiety or fear self-report questionnaires, and behavioural tasks. An overview is given of the main intervention approaches, from a behavioural perspective, including traditional behavioural intervention procedures such as systematic desensitisation and its variants, cognitive–behavioural therapy, and behavioural family therapy. The authors also present recent developments in psychodynamic treatment for phobic and anxious children. Finally, we present conclusions on the empirical standing of the various treatment approaches and also examine the important issue of treatment outcome prediction.

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