Parent-coached exposure therapy versus cognitive behavior therapy for childhood anxiety disorders.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the strongest evidenced-based therapy for childhood anxiety disorders (CADs). However, CBT's impact is limited by its lack of clear superiority over treatment as usual, excessive length, and greater than 50% of patients remaining symptomatic. Parent-coached exposure therapy (PCET) is designed to treat CADs more effectively and efficiently through a focus on exposure and working with parents and youth together. In a randomized controlled trial, 78 patients (78% female) aged 7 to 17 with CADs were assigned to PCET or the gold-standard CBT. The primary outcome was independent evaluator ratings of anxiety severity at mid- and post-treatment. Secondary outcomes were parent- and child-reported symptoms. Patients receiving PCET had significantly lower mean scores than those receiving CBT on the primary outcome measure at mid-treatment (3.03 ± 0.14, 95% CI, 2.75-3.32 vs. 3.77 ± 0.16 95% CI, 3.45-4.08, p = 0.0010) and post-treatment (2.79 ± 0.14, 95% CI, 2.50-3.07 vs. 3.33 ± 0.16, 95% CI, 2.02-3.64, p = 0.0153). Similar significant results were found with the secondary parent- and child-reported outcomes. These superior results were achieved in PCET with fewer sessions (6.62, SD = 2.8) than those in CBT (8.00, SD = 3.1), p = 0.041. The superior effectiveness and efficiency of PCET likely results from the greater focus on implementing exposure exercises compared to traditional CBT.

Using session recordings to understand the content of community-based treatment for childhood anxiety disorders and response to technology-based training.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of the current study is to advance efforts to increase the quality of care for childhood anxiety disorder (CADs) through (1) detailing the content of community-based treatment sessions, (2) exploring the validity of therapist surveys, (3) examining the influence of setting differences, and (4) testing the effects of a technology-based training on use of nonexposure strategies. METHODS: Thirteen therapists were randomly assigned to technology-based training in the use of exposure therapy or treatment as usual (TAU) for CADs. Therapeutic techniques were coded from 125 community-based treatment sessions. RESULTS: Consistent with survey responses community therapists spent the majority of session time reviewing symptoms (34% of session time), implementing nonexposure cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT; 36%), and rarely engaged in exposure (3%). An integrated behavioral health setting was associated with greater endorsement of exposure on survey, p < 0.05, although this difference was not significant in session recordings, p = 0.14. Multilevel models indicated that technology-based training that has been shown to increase exposure, also decreased use of nonexposure CBT techniques (2% vs. 29%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The study supports the validity of survey-based findings that community-based care for CADs consists of non-exposure CBT techniques. Efforts should be invested in dissemination of within-session exposure.

Using Technology to Promote Therapist Use of Exposure Therapy for Childhood Anxiety Disorders: A Randomized Pilot Study.

Increasing the use of exposure by community therapists during the treatment of childhood anxiety disorders is critical to improving the quality of available treatment. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether a brief training in the delivery of an exposure-focused and technology-assisted treatment protocol increased community therapist openness to exposure therapy, use of exposure in treatment, and improvement in patient symptoms. Participants were 17 therapists recruited from a large health system to provide outpatient therapy to 32 youth ages 8-18 (M = 12.13, 78.1% girls) with treatment as usual or with the Anxiety Coach application (AC-app). Consistent with two of three hypotheses, therapists in the AC-app condition increased their openness to, and use of, exposure-however, these changes did not translate into improved therapeutic outcomes. Comparisons to benchmark studies suggest that the community therapists did not implement enough in vivo exposure of sufficient intensity or include parents enough to improve outcome. Results support the ability of exposure-focused treatment protocols to increase community therapists' use of evidence-based treatment and suggest that future efforts should focus on improving the quality, in addition to quantity, of therapist-delivered exposure.

Community Therapist Response to Technology-Assisted Training in Exposure Therapy for Childhood Anxiety Disorders.

Despite the efficacy of exposure for childhood anxiety disorders (CADs), dissemination has been unsuccessful. The current study examined community-therapist response to a brief (90-minutes) training in technology-assisted exposure therapy for CADs. The results indicated that therapists found the training in the therapy approach and technology acceptable, despite endorsing mainly non-exposure-based practice prior to the training. Training also increased positive beliefs about exposure, t (23) = 4.32, p < .000, that persisted 6 months later, t (23) = 4.56, p < .000. In addition, the number of therapists reporting an intention to implement exposure increased substantially from baseline (41.7%) to post-training (83.3%), with many therapists (70.8%) reporting use of exposure within the 6 months following training. However, automatically recorded data indicated little use of the technology. Results suggest that a dissemination message focusing on exposure is acceptable and has the potential to increase the use of this central treatment component.

An Online- and Mobile-Based Application to Facilitate Exposure for Childhood Anxiety Disorders.

In the current paper, we describe an integrated online- and mobile-based application for the treatment of childhood anxiety disorders, Anxiety Coach. The technology is designed to increase the use of exposure therapy by therapists and patients. We begin by outlining the clinical content and design of the application, and then review the clinical administration and theoretical basis for the program. Next, using results from an implementation feasibility study, we illustrate how data collected during application use can inform therapists, supervisors, and researchers about process variables (i.e., use of exposure) and outcomes (i.e., symptom improvement). Implications of the potential for Anxiety Coach to increase access to evidence-based treatment and directions for further research are discussed.

Predictive Relationship Between Parental Beliefs and Accommodation of Pediatric Anxiety.

Behavior performed by parents to assist a youth in avoiding or alleviating anxiety, known as accommodation, is ubiquitous among pediatric anxiety disorders and strongly related to poor treatment outcome. According to cognitive-behavioral theory, the beliefs parents hold regarding accommodation should predict parental accommodating behavior. Unfortunately, little is known about the beliefs parents hold regarding accommodation, as there exists no validated measure of this construct. First, the psychometric properties were examined for the Parental Accommodation Scale (PAS), a novel measure of parental accommodating behavior frequency (PAS-Behavior scale) and parental beliefs about accommodation (PAS-Belief scale). Second, the relationship between parental beliefs about accommodation and accommodation frequency was examined. Results provide preliminary evidence of the internal consistency and convergent validity of the PAS. Stronger positive beliefs about accommodation significantly predicted accommodation frequency, even after controlling for youth anxiety severity. Specifically, beliefs that accommodation prevents youth from losing behavioral and emotional control significantly predicted accommodation frequency. Therefore, efforts to decrease accommodation in clinical settings should involve correcting maladaptive parental beliefs about accommodation, with a particular emphasis on beliefs regarding the necessity of accommodation in preventing a youth from losing behavioral and emotional control.

Increasing Availability of Exposure Therapy Through Intensive Group Treatment for Childhood Anxiety and OCD.

Archival data were used to examine the feasibility of a 5-day, clinic-based, intensive exposure-based cognitive-behavioral group therapy for childhood anxiety disorders (CADs) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Participants were 143 children (82 girls) aged 6 to 19 years ( M = 13.93 years, SD = 2.9 years) with CADs or OCD (or both) in 28 consecutive groups. Repeated-measures ANOVA in the subsample ( n = 57) with complete treatment data indicated positive change on all variables from pretreatment to posttreatment with few differences between CADs and OCD patients. Effect sizes were moderate to large for anxiety symptoms (parent reported = 0.74, child reported = 0.65) and impairment (parent reported = 1.02, child reported = 0.69). The intensive group protocol required fewer sessions and 36% fewer therapist-hours per patient than the individually administered protocol. The program increased treatment availability for families from diverse geographic areas ( M distance traveled to clinic = 407 miles, SD = 786.4 miles). These findings support further, well-controlled examination of the 5-day intensive group treatment protocol's efficacy and potential to increase availability of evidence-based exposure therapy.

Initial psychometrics, outcomes, and correlates of the Repetitive Body Focused Behavior Scale: Examination in a sample of youth with anxiety and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs), including skin-picking, hair-pulling, and nail-biting, commonly occur in youth, even at elevated/problematic levels, and are associated with a number of other psychiatric symptoms. The present study examined the internal consistency of a brief screening tool for BFRBs as well as the prevalence, severity, and correlates of BFRBs in a sample of youth with a primary anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). METHODS: Ninety-three youth-parent dyads presenting for treatment for anxiety or OCD completed study measures including the Repetitive Body Focused Behavior Scale - Parent (RBFBS), which includes subscales for skin-picking, hair-pulling, and nail-biting, as well as a number of additional clinician-, parent-, and child-rated scales. RESULTS: The RBFBS demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency. BFRBs were endorsed in 55% of youths, with elevated levels in 27%. Skin-picking was the most common BFRB (38%), followed by nail-biting (34%) and hair-pulling (4%). Youth with BFRBs, as compared to those without, were rated as more avoidant by their parents. Among those with BFRBs, more avoidant tendencies, anxiety sensitivity, and child-rated panic, separation, and generalized anxiety symptoms were associated with elevated BFRB severity. BFRBs were equally common but more likely to be elevated among youth with a primary anxiety, than OCD, diagnosis. DISCUSSION: Results provide initial support for the RBFBS as a brief screening tool for the three common BFRBs. In addition, the results suggest avoidant tendencies and physical manifestations of distress may be particularly relevant to the escalation of BFRB symptoms in youth.

The Treatment Worries Questionnaire: Conjoined measures for evaluating worries about psychosocial treatment in youth and their parents.

Treatment worries, which surround requirements and results of obtaining treatment, may represent an important construct; however, previous measures were limited by their specificity, format, and lack of parent report. Therefore the present study examined the initial outcomes and psychometrics of corresponding measures of treatment worries in youth (Treatment Worries Questionnaire - Child; TWQ-C) and their parents (Treatment Worries Questionnaire - Parent; TWQ-P). Participants were 94 youth (7-17-years old) and parent dyads presenting for treatment of an anxiety disorder. Dyads completed the TWQ-C and TWQ-P along with additional measures prior to initiating treatment. Treatment worries were endorsed in the mild-moderate range by youth and the TWQ-C demonstrated good-excellent internal consistency, a three-factor structure, and consistent convergent and divergent relationships. Treatment worries were endorsed in the low-mild range by parents and the TWQ-P demonstrated fair-good internal consistency, a four-factor structure, and consistent divergent relationships, but variable (by factor) convergent relationships. The results provide information on treatment worries and support the use of the TWQ-C and TWQ-P as broad assessments of the concept. Low endorsement of worries among parents likely relates to the treatment-seeking nature of the sample. Future investigations using the TWQ-C and TWQ-P in a variety of samples is warranted.

The feasibility of improving CBT for childhood anxiety disorders through a dismantling study.

This preliminary randomized controlled trial (RCT) examines the feasibility of dismantling cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for childhood anxiety disorders. Fourteen children (10 girls) ages 7 to 14 (m = 10.2) with social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, or panic disorder were randomized to receive 6 sessions of either a) the pre-exposure anxiety management strategies presented in traditional CBT, or b) parent-coached exposure therapy. The sample was selected from a treatment seeking population and is representative of children in clinical settings. Examination of fidelity ratings, dropouts, and satisfaction ratings indicated that the interventions were distinguishable, safe, and tolerable. The overall sample improved significantly with pre-post effect sizes generally in the large range for both conditions. Between-group effect sizes indicating greater improvement with parent-coached exposure therapy were moderate or large for ten of 12 variables (i.e., 0.53 to 1.52). Re-evaluation after three months of open treatment suggested that the intervention emphasizing exposure early maintained its superiority while requiring fewer appointments.

The timing of exposure in clinic-based treatment for childhood anxiety disorders.

The present study examines treatment length and timing of exposure from two child anxiety disorders clinics. Data regarding symptoms and treatment characteristics for 28 youth were prospectively obtained through self, parent, and therapist report at each session. Information regarding length of treatment, timing of exposure initiation, and drop-out rates were compared with those obtained through efficacy and effectiveness trials of manualized treatment for anxious youth. Findings from the authors' clinical data revealed significantly shorter treatment duration with exposures implemented sooner than in the previous studies. Dropout rates were significantly higher than in the efficacy trial but comparable with the effectiveness trial. Outcome data from a subset of eight patients revealed large effect sizes. These findings suggest that effective treatment can be shorter and more focused on exposure than is often outlined in manuals and have important implications for outcome research and dissemination.

The timing of exposure in clinic-based treatment for childhood anxiety disorders.

The present study examines treatment length and timing of exposure from two child anxiety disorders clinics. Data regarding symptoms and treatment characteristics for 28 youth were prospectively obtained through self, parent, and therapist report at each session. Information regarding length of treatment, timing of exposure initiation, and drop-out rates were compared with those obtained through efficacy and effectiveness trials of manualized treatment for anxious youth. Findings from the authors' clinical data revealed significantly shorter treatment duration with exposures implemented sooner than in the previous studies. Dropout rates were significantly higher than in the efficacy trial but comparable with the effectiveness trial. Outcome data from a subset of eight patients revealed large effect sizes. These findings suggest that effective treatment can be shorter and more focused on exposure than is often outlined in manuals and have important implications for outcome research and dissemination.

Parents' perceptions of pharmacological and cognitive-behavioral treatments for childhood anxiety disorders.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and pharmacotherapy are the most well-established treatments for childhood anxiety disorders. This study examined how parents (N=71) seeking treatment for their child's anxiety disorder perceive the acceptability, believability, and effectiveness of these treatments. While both treatments were perceived favorably, CBT was rated as more acceptable, believable, and effective in the short- and long-term. Children's treatment history influenced parents' perceptions of pharmacotherapy, with parents of children with no treatment history perceiving medication treatment as less acceptable and believable than parents of children with a history of medication alone or in combination with behavior therapy. No effect of treatment history was found for perceptions of CBT. Significant positive correlations emerged between parents' perceived acceptance and believability for pharmacotherapy and child age and level of dysfunction due to their child's anxiety, respectively. The level of the child's anxiety was not significantly correlated with parents' perceptions of either CBT or pharmacotherapy. Our results suggest that parents of anxious children prefer CBT to medication for the treatment of their child's anxiety disorder. Directions for future research are discussed.