title: Case series: brief parent-child group therapy for childhood anxiety disorders using a manual-based cognitive-behavioral technique.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report on a brief parent-child group therapy program for children with anxiety disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four children with an anxiety disorder and their parents participated in a 10-session treatment. Children were evaluated at pretreatment (T1), posttreatment (T2), 12-month follow-up (T3), and 36-month follow-up (T4). Ten children were also assessed on entering a waiting period (T0).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant symptomatic changes between T0 and T1. Anxiety symptoms decreased significantly during the treatment and follow-up periods. Depressive symptoms changed only during the follow-up period. The percentage of children with no current anxiety disorder was 71% at T2 and 91% at T4. Children of mothers with an anxiety disorder improved more than children of nonanxious mothers, whereas the anxiety level of anxious mothers remained stable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brief parent-child group psychotherapy may serve as a time-limited, cost-effective, and efficient intervention.
authors.affiliation: Tel Aviv-Brull Community Mental Health Center, Israel.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toren
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wolmer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rosental
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eldar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koren
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lask
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weizman
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Laor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D005196:Family Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group