Can Parents Treat their Anxious Child using CBT? A Brief Report of a Self-Help Program

Abstract

Objective: We developed and tested a self-help program with minimal therapist involvement for parents of anxious children. Method: The program focused on transfer of control from therapist to parents of children with moderate anxiety, and consisted of two therapist-led workshops, a Facebook group, and Cool Kids manuals for parents and children. The sample consisted of 20 families, and 17 completed treatment. Results: After treatment, intent-to-treat analyses indicated that 65% of the children were free of all anxiety disorders. The corresponding figure for completers was 76.5%. Conclusion: Our results suggest that parent-based self-help groups focusing on transfer of control may be a cost-effective way of providing treatment to children with moderate anxiety.