The feasibility and outcome of clinic plus internet delivery of cognitive-behavior therapy for childhood anxiety.
Seventy-two clinically anxious children, aged 7 to 14 years, were randomly allocated to clinic-based, cognitive-behavior therapy, the same treatment partially delivered via the Internet, or a wait-list control (WL). Children in the clinic and clinic-plus-Internet conditions showed significantly greater reductions in anxiety from pre- to posttreatment and were more likely to be free of their anxiety diagnoses, compared with the WL group. Improvements were maintained at 12-month follow-up for both therapy conditions, with minimal difference in outcomes between interventions. The Internet treatment content was highly acceptable to families, with minimal dropout and a high level of therapy compliance.
Spence
Susan H
SH
School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. sue.spence@mq.edu.au
Holmes
Jane M
JM
March
Sonja
S
Lipp
Ottmar V
OV
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index