title: Parent cognitive-behavioral intervention for the treatment of childhood anxiety disorders: a pilot study.
abstract: Strong evidence supports cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for the treatment of childhood anxiety. Many studies suggest that parents play an etiological role in the development and maintenance of child anxiety. This pilot study examined the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral intervention delivered to the parents of 31 anxious children (ages 7-13). Parents were randomly assigned to an individual parent-only CBT intervention (PCBT, n = 18) or wait-list control (WL, n = 13). PCBT demonstrated significant reductions in children's number of anxiety disorder diagnoses, parent-rated interference and clinician-rated severity of anxiety, and maternal protective behaviors at post-treatment, which were maintained at 3-months. WL did not demonstrate significant changes. There were no significant differences between conditions in child self-reported or parent-report of child anxiety symptoms. Findings were replicated in a combined sample of treated participants, as well as in an intent-to-treat sample. Parent-only CBT may be an effective treatment modality for child anxiety, though future research is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of Rhode Island, 10 Chafee Road, Kingston, RI 02881, USA. Electronic address: alli921@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Allison M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of Rhode Island, 10 Chafee Road, Kingston, RI 02881, USA.
authors.forename: Ellen C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Flannery-Schroeder
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of Rhode Island, 10 Chafee Road, Kingston, RI 02881, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Gorman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of Rhode Island, 10 Chafee Road, Kingston, RI 02881, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Anxiety disorders; Child anxiety; Cognitive-behavioral therapy; Parental behaviors; Parenting