Cognitive-behavioral treatment of panic disorder in adolescence.

This investigation represents the first randomized controlled trial to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of Panic Control Treatment for Adolescents (PCT-A). Thirteen adolescents, ages 14 to 17, were randomized to 11 weekly sessions of PCT-A treatment, whereas 13 were randomized to a self-monitoring control group. Results indicate that adolescents receiving immediate PCT-A showed a significant reduction in clinician-rated severity of panic disorder and in self-reported anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, and depression, in comparison to control group participants. These treatment gains were maintained at 3- and 6-month follow-up. Clinical severity of panic continued to improve from posttreatment to 3-month follow-up and then remained stable at 6-month follow-up. In light of study limitations, these findings suggest that cognitive-behavioral treatment for panic disorder in adolescence is a feasible and potentially efficacious intervention for this debilitating condition in youth.

Treatment of comorbid anxiety and autism spectrum disorders.

Clinically significant anxiety occurs frequently among individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and is linked to increased psychosocial, familial, behavioral and academic impairment beyond the core autism symptoms when present. Although efforts are underway to establish empirically supported treatments for anxiety among individuals with ASDs, this remains an emerging research area. This literature review summarizes available information on the efficacy of pharmacological and psychosocial approaches for treating anxiety and repetitive behaviors in children, adolescents and adults with ASDs. Specifically, we evaluate evidence for the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy and selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors. Evidence is growing in support of using cognitive-behavioral therapy to treat anxiety in youths with ASDs; however, mixed evidence exists for its application in treating repetitive behaviors, as well as the use of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors for anxiety in youths with ASDs. We conclude the article with a discussion of the strength of current information and next steps in research.

Are there specific metacognitive processes associated with anxiety disorders in youth?

While Wells' metacognitive model of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) posits that certain metacognitive processes, such as negative meta-worry (negative beliefs about worry), are more strongly associated with symptoms of GAD than other anxiety disorders in adults, research has yet to determine whether the same pattern is true for younger individuals. We examined the relationship between several metacognitive processes and anxiety disorder diagnostic status in a sample of 98 youth aged 7-17 years. Twenty youth with GAD were compared with similarly sized groups of youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD, n = 18), social phobia (SOC, n = 20), separation anxiety disorder (SAD, n = 20), and healthy controls who were not patients (NONP, n = 20) using a self-report measure of metacognition adapted for use with young people in this age range (Metacognitions Questionnaire for Children). Contrary to expectations, only one specific metacognitive process was significantly associated with an anxiety disorder diagnosis, in that the controls endorsed a greater degree of cognitive monitoring (self-reported awareness of one's thoughts) than those with SAD. In addition, there was a trend indicating that nonpatients scored higher than youth with GAD on this scale. These surprising results suggest potentially differing patterns in the relationships between symptoms and metacognitive awareness in anxious youth, depending on the type of anxiety disorder presentation.