The role of parental anxiety in the treatment of childhood anxiety.
Sixty-seven children aged 7 to 14 who met diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder were assigned to conditions according to parental anxiety level. Within these conditions, children were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: child-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or child-focused CBT plus parental anxiety management (CBT + PAM). At posttreatment, results indicated that within the child-anxiety-only condition, 82% of the children in the CBT condition no longer met criteria for an anxiety disorder compared with 80% in the CBT + PAM condition. Within the child + parental anxiety condition, 39% in the CBT condition no longer met criteria compared with 77% in the CBT + PAM condition. At follow-up, these differences were maintained, with some weakening over time. Results were not consistent across outcome measures. The interpretation and potential clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
Cobham
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VE
School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia. vanessa@psy.uq.edu.au
Dadds
M R
MR
Spence
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SH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome