Patterns and predictors of subjective units of distress in anxious youth.
BACKGROUND
Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS) ratings are commonly used during exposure tasks in cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) for anxiety.


OBJECTIVE
The present study examined patterns and predictors of SUDS in a sample of anxiety-disordered youth.


METHODS
Youth (N = 99) aged 7 to 14 (M = 10.4, SD = 1.8) were treated with CBT for social phobia (SP), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and/or separation anxiety disorder (SAD). Analyses were conducted using hierarchical linear modeling.


RESULTS
Child's peak SUDS and magnitude of change in SUDS significantly increased between sessions. Higher child self-reported pretreatment total Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) score predicted greater change in SUDS within the first exposure session. Primary GAD diagnosis predicted less increase in change in SUDS between sessions.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that higher pretreatment total MASC scores are associated with increased first exposure within-session habituation. Additionally, youth with a principal diagnosis of GAD experienced less between-session habituation, perhaps because they may have required more imaginal than in-vivo exposures.
Department of Psychology, Temple University, 1701 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, USA. courtney.benjamin@temple.edu
Courtney L
CL
Benjamin
Kelly A
KA
O'Neil
Sarah A
SA
Crawley
Rinad S
RS
Beidas
Meredith
M
Coles
Philip C
PC
Kendall
D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D001010:Anxiety, Separation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D001143:Arousal; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D007171:Implosive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012944:Social Support