The Effect of Mindfulness Training On Resting-State Networks In Pre-Adolescent Children With Sub-Clinical Anxiety Related Attention Impairments.

Background: Mindfulness training has been associated with improved attention and affect regulation in preadolescent children with anxiety related attention impairments, however little is known about the underlying neurobiology. This study sought to investigate the impact of mindfulness training on functional connectivity of attention and limbic brain networks in pre-adolescents.Methods: A total of 47 children (aged 9-11 years) participated in a 10-week mindfulness intervention. Anxiety and attention measures and resting-state fMRI were completed at pre- and post-intervention. Sustained attention was measured using the Conners Continuous Performance Test, while the anxiety levels were measured using the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale. Functional networks were estimated using independent-component analysis, and voxel-based analysis was used to determine the difference between the time-points to identify the effect of the intervention on the functional connectivity. Results: There was a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms and improvement in attention scores following the intervention. From a network perspective, the results showed increased functional connectivity post intervention in the salience and fronto-parietal networks as well as the medial-inferior temporal component of the default mode network. Positive correlations were identified in the fronto-parietal network with Hit Response Time and the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale total and between the default mode network and Hit Response Time.Conclusions: A 10-week mindfulness intervention in children was associated with a reduction in anxiety related attention impairments, which were underpinned by concomitant changes in functional connectivity.

ANXIETY DISORDERS AND THE FREQUENCY OF NEGATIVE THOUGHTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY IN CHILDREN WITH AND WITHOUT SPECIAL LEARNING DISABILITIES

<p>Special Learning Disabilities (SLD) are often accompanied by negative thoughts of self-assessment, deficits in social interactions and psycho-emotional problems as well, which hinder the development and the smooth integration of children diagnosed with SLD into their environment. This research attempts to investigate the association of negative self-assessment thoughts and anxiety disorders with Special Learning Disabilities in a sample of sixty Greek-speaking children in 4th, 5th and 6th grades with and without SLD, including their parents. The tools used for this purpose are the Children’s Automatic Thoughts Scale (CATS), and the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS-CH) self-report questionnaire, which assess anxiety disorders. Parents were asked to answer the corresponding Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale-Parents Edition (SCAS-P) symptom-monitoring questionnaire. According to the results compared to their normal development peers, children with SLD had a higher incidence of negative thoughts, which is more likely to lead to symptoms of anxiety disorders; their parents in fact were able to perceive the severity or frequency of these symptoms in their children. In addition, the frequency of negative thoughts and symptoms related to anxiety disorders seemed to be influenced by the student’s condition (with or without SLD), but not by gender and age. </p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0982/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Spanish validation of the Parent version of the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS-P) in a clinical sample

The child version of the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS-C) has demonstrated good psychometric properties, but research has scarcely focused on the parent version of the questionnaire (SCAS-P). We aimed to validate the Spanish version of the SCAS-P in a clinical sample (N= 137) of children and adolescents through their parents’ responses. The Spanish version of the SCAS-P showed good internal consistency for the total scale and for most subscales (Cronbach´s alpha between .49 y .83) and excellent test-retest reliability for all subscales (r between .71 and .91). Furthermore, convergent, and divergent validity were supported by higher correlations with other measures of anxiety (r= .51), and lower correlations with measures of depression (r= .43) and externalizing problems (r= .34). For the first time in an exclusively clinical sample, the original factor structure of the SCAS-P based on six correlated factors was partially confirmed. The validation of the SCAS-P in a clinical sample provides professionals with a tool that better reflects the characteristics of their patients.

Creative Activities for a Child with Anxiety Problems: A Case Report

Introduction: This case report aimed to report the effectiveness of creative occupations on a child with anxiety problems in a mental health center in Iran. Method: This case report has been performed in 12 sessions with a three-month follow-up. The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) and a structured clinical interview were used to collect information. Result: The child's score on SCAS was 66 at the first session, which was then reduced to 41 at the sixth session, and 27 at the twelfth session. The child's father also confirmed the positive effects of the intervention on the child's behavior. Conclusion: Creative occupations showed a positive effect on reducing the severity of anxiety symptoms. These effects remained to a large extent during the intervention.

Efficacy of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy on Children With Anxiety

This study examined the efficacy of mindfulness based cognitive therapy on children (MBCT-C) with anxiety. Two hundred and forty children were screened, of which 52 (25 boys and 27 girls) with anxiety were randomly allocated to either MBCT-C or group therapy (GT including cognitive behavioral principles). Both groups were rated on the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire–Child and Adolescent, pre- and 12 weeks post-interventions. MBCT-C was found to be more effective than GT in improving anxiety among children (between-group effect size Cohen's d 1.05) and as effective as GT in reducing emotion suppression for effective emotion regulation. This study provides support for MBCT-C as an effective group intervention for children with anxiety.

Prevenção de Ansiedade Infantil a partir do Método Friends

Resumo Os Transtornos de Ansiedade têm se desenvolvido com mais frequência em crianças em idade escolar, prejudicando sua saúde, relações sociais e desenvolvimento global. Atualmente, tem-se buscado a prevenção desses transtornos. O Método FRIENDS, programa que visa prevenir ansiedade e depressão por meio do desenvolvimento de habilidades socioemocionais, resiliência e comportamentos para uma vida saudável, é uma possibilidade de intervenção. Nesse contexto, esta pesquisa objetivou verificar se a sintomatologia de ansiedade de crianças diminui após a participação destas no Método FRIENDS. Participaram do estudo 19 crianças, com idades entre 5 e 7 anos, de ambos os sexos. Foi utilizado como instrumento de avaliação o Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale, respondido pelos pais em pré-teste, pós-teste e follow up. Os dados foram comparados a partir de estatística descritiva e inferencial. Os resultados apontam para a diminuição do total de sintomas de ansiedade nas crianças que participaram do método logo após e no seguimento de dois meses.

Kecemasan Anak Korban Bullying : Efektifitas Terapi Menulis Ekspresif Menurunkan Kecemasan

Salah salah satu dampak psikologis bullying bagi anak, adalah munculnya kecemasan. Intensitas kecemasan akan terlihat dari reaksi fisik, emosi, kognitif serta perilaku anak. Pada penelitian ini, terapi menulis ekspresif digunakan sebagai intervensi untuk menurunkan kecemasan anak korban bullying. Kecemasan diukur menggunakan modifikasi skala Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS) meliputi area kecemasan, separation anxiety, general anxiety, social anxiety, panic/agoraphobia, obsessive compulsive dan fear of physical injury. Responden penelitian, 2 orang laki-laki dan 6 orang perempuan dengan rentang usia 9-12 tahun. Ada 2 kelompok (ekperimen dan kontrol) dengan setiap kelompok terdiri dari 4 orang anak. Uji Mann Whitney, memperlihatkan bahwa tidak terdapat perbedaan kecemasan antara kelompok eksperimen dengan kelompok kontrol (r = 0.72 ; p > 0.05). Selanjutnya pada kelompok eksperimen dilakukan uji wilcoxon, didapat hasil bahwa terapi menulis ekspresif tidak efektif menurunkan kecemasan anak korban bullying (r = -0.13 ; p > 0.05). Beberapa faktor yang menyebabkan kondisi tersebut terjadi diantaranya, responden belum memperoleh insight dari terapi yang dilaksanakan, tidak terpenuhinya karakteristik terapi menulis ekspresif, bullying masih terjadi, rentang pelaksanaan menulis dan individual karakteristik. Akan tetapi, temuan lain yang diperoleh dari penelitian ini adalah terapi menulis ekspresif mampu menjadi media katarsis bagi responden.

Psychometric Properties of the Children’s Version of the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS) in a Spanish Clinical Sample

The Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS) has demonstrated good psychometric properties in several countries and cultures. Nevertheless, most of the previous studies that explore these properties have combined clinical and community samples. We aimed to validate the Spanish version of the SCAS in a large clinical sample (N = 130) of children and adolescents. The Spanish adaptation of the SCAS showed good internal consistency for the total scale, and good test-retest reliability for all the subscales. Furthermore, its convergent and discriminant validity were supported by significant correlations with other anxiety questionnaires (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders [SCARED], Youth Self-Report [YSR] subscales for anxiety disorders and internalizing symptomatology), and lower or non-significant correlations with depression symptoms and externalizing symptoms scales respectively. For the first time in a purely clinical sample, the original factor structure of the SCAS based on six correlated factors was confirmed. Future studies need to evaluate whether the factorial structure of the present instrument is the most suitable for use in clinical populations.