Prediction of child performance on a parent-child behavioral approach test with animal phobic children.

A host of factors including genetic influences, temperament characteristics, learning experiences, information processing biases, parental psychopathology, and specific parenting practices have been hypothesized to contribute to the development and expression of children's phobias. In the present study, the authors focused on parental psychopathology (phobic anxiety) and parenting behaviors (warmth, involvement) in the prediction of child performance on a behavioral approach test (BAT). All children (n = 44) experienced a phobia of animals and were clinic referred. The youth completed two BATs: the first alone and the second one with a parent present. Overall, performance was greater on the parent-present BAT (58% of steps completed) than on the child-alone BAT (38% of steps completed), although considerable variability was present. Performance on the parent-present BAT was associated with parental warmth and involvement but not parental phobic anxiety. Implications of these findings were discussed, and their implications for the use of behavioral analogues tests were explored.

Attention training in socially anxious children: a multiple baseline design analysis.

Current evidence has established an association between anxiety and attentional threat biases. Emerging research suggests these attentional biases may play a causal role in anxiety development. Clinical researchers have begun to develop treatments specifically designed to address these attentional processes. As such, Attention training (ATT) has been shown to be effective in the treatment of anxiety in adults. The current study represents an early attempt to implement ATT to treat social anxiety disorder (SOC) in children. Two boys meeting criteria for DSM-IV SOC participated in the study, along with their parents. Both boys received 10, 10-min sessions of ATT. A multiple-baseline design was used. Following treatment, both boys evidenced reductions in social anxiety. The current study provides preliminary evidence regarding the utility of ATT for treatment of childhood SOC. Future research is needed to further examine the use of this treatment strategy with youth and to explore the mechanisms of change.