title: Attention Bias Modification Treatment for children with anxiety disorders who do not respond to cognitive behavioral therapy: a case series.
abstract: Evidence is emerging to support the promise of Attention Bias Modification Treatment (ABMT), a computer-based attention training program, in reducing anxiety in children. ABMT has not been tested as an adjuvant for children with anxiety disorders who do not respond to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This case series presents findings from an open trial of ABMT among six children (four girls; M age = 11.2 years) who completed a CBT protocol and continued to meet diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder. All children completed the ABMT protocol with no canceled or missed sessions. Child self-ratings on anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms significantly decreased from pretreatment to posttreatment, as did parent ratings on child anxiety-related impairment. Parent ratings on child anxiety and internalizing symptoms displayed non-significant decreases from pretreatment to posttreatment. These findings support the potential promise of ABMT as a feasible adjuvant treatment that reduces anxiety and impairment among child anxiety CBT nonresponders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bechor
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA. Electronic address: jpettit@fiu.edu.
authors.forename: Jeremy W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Pettit
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
authors.forename: Wendy K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Silverman
authors.affiliation: Adler Center for Research in Child Development and Psychopathology, Department of Psychology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Yair
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bar-Haim
authors.affiliation: Adler Center for Research in Child Development and Psychopathology, Department of Psychology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Rany
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abend
authors.affiliation: Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Pine
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Vasey
authors.affiliation: Silver School of Social Work, New York University, New York, NY.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jaccard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001288:Attention; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Anxiety; Attention; Attention bias; Children; Treatment