Treating Young Anxious Children: Results from a Waitlist-control Study of a Manualized Treatment

• In Event: Mental Health in Young Children: Concerns and Prevention

Abstract

Objectives or purposes
This presentation will report on a novel, group intervention designed for children (ages 5-7 years) with anxiety disorders and their parents. The objective of this talk is to present the main features of the child and adult treatment groups and the initial findings of a study examining the effect of the treatment on participating child anxiety.

Perspective
Anxiety disorders are amongst the most common of all childhood mental health difficulties and they are associated with a number of adverse outcomes including increased risk for anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders during adulthood. Childhood onset anxiety disorder is also associated with academic difficulties including lower achievement and early drop out (Davis III, Ollendick & Nebel-Schwalm, 2008). Further, decreases in anxiety have been shown to positively influence children's school performance and social functioning (Wood, 2006), Thus, it is essential that effective, evidence-based interventions are developed for young children with anxiety problems.

Methods
Children with anxiety disorders and their parents were invited to participate in this study. All children and parents participated in the treatment after a 3 months wait following the initial assessment. The parents and children then participated in 12, separate but concurrently conducted one-hour treatment groups. Parents participated in psycho-educational sessions designed to teach parents strategies to help support their child to confront rather than avoid their fears. The child CBT groups taught children, through age appropriate stories and game like activities, to recognize and label feeling states and to utilize coping strategies to deal effectively with anxiety. The larger study also included a control condition included the same content for parent groups but the child groups included age-appropriate stories and activities but no content specifically dealing with anxiety.

Data sources
Children were assessed at multiple points before and after the intervention. The assessments included a semi-structured parent interview for child anxiety disorders (ADIS), rating scales for children and parents (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED, Birmaher et al., 1997), and clinician ratings of the child's overall functioning (CGAS).

Results
This presentation describes comparisons between the child anxiety based on the initial, pre-group (after 3 month wait period), and post-group assessments.

Scientific/scholarly significance
This study extends findings from a published pilot study of this treatment (Monga, Young, & Owens, 2009) and builds on and expands existent treatments for young anxious children.

References

Davis III, T., Ollendick, T., & Nebel-Schwalm M., (2008). Intellectual Ability and Achievement in Anxiety-Disordered Children: A Clarification and Extension of the Literature, Journal Psychopathology and behavioral Assessment, 30, 43-51.

Monga, S., Young, A., & Owens, M. (2009). Evaluating a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy group program for anxious five to seven year old children: A pilot study. Depression and Anxiety, 26, 243-250.

Wood, J. (2006). Effect of anxiety reduction on children's school performance and social adjustment. Developmental Psychology, 42, 345-349.

Authors

• Arlene Young, Simon Fraser University

• Suneeta Monga, Hospital for Sick Children

• Mary Owens, Hospital for Sick Children