Family treatment of childhood anxiety

Rachel Maid, Paul Smokowski, Martica Bacallao

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Anxiety in childhood and adolescence can cause serious impairment across many settings in a child's life. Childhood anxiety may be impacted by parent-child attachment and by three specific parenting characteristics: acceptance, control and modelling of anxious behaviours. We review two evidence-based family interventions for childhood and adolescent anxiety problems. Cognitive behavioural treatment is currently the most commonly used form of psychotherapy to treat specific anxieties. Global or diffuse anxiety, however, may be better suited to experiential interventions such as communications approaches to family treatment. Experiential therapists examine how dysfunctional family roles exacerbate childhood anxiety. These intervention techniques and their implications for social work practice were discussed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)433-442
Number of pages10
JournalChild and Family Social Work
Volume13
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2008
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Anxiety
  • Childhood intervention
  • Developmental psychopathology
  • Family therapy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Health(social science)
  • Sociology and Political Science

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