A Single Session Parenting Intervention for Children on a Outpatient Therapy Waitlist

Summary

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the treatment of choice for youth anxiety. However, up to 80% of youth with anxiety disorders do not access the services they need. Child CBT clinics nationwide have extremely long waits, on the order of 10-12 months. This leads to a vicious cycle, as children waiting for care experience worsening symptoms and decreased motivation, so that by the time they access care, their needs are more intensive and the treatment lasts longer and it takes longer for new children to be able to be assigned. Recently, single-session interventions (SSIs) have been developed that enable children to access CBT skills. The proposed randomized trial will evaluate the effects of a brief, web-based, self-guided SSI designed to reduce parent accommodation of children's anxiety, a parenting behavior that has been shown to maintain and worsen child anxiety. The main aim of the study is to examine whether the SSI reduces parent accommodation. As a secondary aim, the investigators will explore whether the SSI reduces children's anxiety symptoms over the first 6 months of CBT. The investigators will recruit parents of children who are on the waitlist to receive outpatient CBT. Results may suggest a promising approach to intervene with parents and children waiting to receive therapy.

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

Parents will be eligible to participate if:

1. Their child has anxiety and/or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) (either subclinical or clinical), as determined by an initial screening
2. Their child is between the age of 5 and 12 years-old
3. Parents are English-speaking
4. Parents are over the age of 18 years old

Exclusion Criteria:

Parents will be excluded if:

1. Their child shows symptoms of suicidal or homicidal ideation, psychosis, or primary severe mood or behavior disorder (i.e., if treatment for another disorder other than anxiety is indicate prior to treatment for anxiety)
2. Their child is already receiving CBT (i.e., transfer cases from other CBT providers in the community).

Conditions2

Locations1 site

Browse More Trials