TY - JOUR
T1 - A School Nurse-Delivered Intervention for Anxious Children
T2 - An Open Trial
AU - Muggeo, Michela A.
AU - Stewart, Catherine E.
AU - Drake, Kelly L.
AU - Ginsburg, Golda S.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study, funded by the Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, reports preliminary data on feasibility and child outcomes of the CALM (Child Anxiety Learning Modules), a brief nurse-administered intervention which is based on empirically supported cognitive behavioral strategies and designed to reduce anxiety and improve academic functioning in elementary school children. Specifically, this report includes findings related to the (1) feasibility and acceptability of the intervention, assessed via nurse training satisfaction, child recruitment and session attendance, nurses’ fidelity in delivering the intervention, and participants’ satisfaction with CALM; and (2) pre-post intervention child outcomes (anxiety symptoms, physical symptoms, global functioning, and academic functioning) using multiple informants obtained in the context of an open trial of CALM.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, Springer Science+Business Media New York.
PY - 2017/6/1
Y1 - 2017/6/1
N2 - Anxiety disorders are common in children and severely impair their functioning. Because a hallmark symptom of anxiety is somatic complaints, anxious youth often seek help from their school nurse. Thus, school nurses are in an ideal position to identify anxious children and intervene early. This study assessed the feasibility of a brief nurse-administered intervention (CALM—Child Anxiety Learning Modules) based on cognitive behavioral strategies to reduce anxiety symptoms and improve academic functioning. Nine elementary school nurses completed a one-day training and administered the CALM intervention to 11 children with elevated symptoms of anxiety (M age: 8.09; range 5–11; 54% male; 91% White). Feasibility of the intervention was assessed using several indicators (e.g., training satisfaction, intervention satisfaction/helpfulness). Pre-post intervention child outcomes were collected from evaluators, parents, children, and teachers. Results indicated that the majority of nurses were highly satisfied with the training and reported the intervention was feasible. Paired t tests on pre-post outcome measures revealed significant reductions in anxiety, somatic symptoms, and concentration problems. Nurses (70%), parents (81%), and children (50%) reported that the intervention was either somewhat or very helpful. Preliminary results identified barriers to implementation but also suggest that the intervention is feasible and helpful. A sufficiently powered randomized controlled trial is needed to assess the intervention’s efficacy.
AB - Anxiety disorders are common in children and severely impair their functioning. Because a hallmark symptom of anxiety is somatic complaints, anxious youth often seek help from their school nurse. Thus, school nurses are in an ideal position to identify anxious children and intervene early. This study assessed the feasibility of a brief nurse-administered intervention (CALM—Child Anxiety Learning Modules) based on cognitive behavioral strategies to reduce anxiety symptoms and improve academic functioning. Nine elementary school nurses completed a one-day training and administered the CALM intervention to 11 children with elevated symptoms of anxiety (M age: 8.09; range 5–11; 54% male; 91% White). Feasibility of the intervention was assessed using several indicators (e.g., training satisfaction, intervention satisfaction/helpfulness). Pre-post intervention child outcomes were collected from evaluators, parents, children, and teachers. Results indicated that the majority of nurses were highly satisfied with the training and reported the intervention was feasible. Paired t tests on pre-post outcome measures revealed significant reductions in anxiety, somatic symptoms, and concentration problems. Nurses (70%), parents (81%), and children (50%) reported that the intervention was either somewhat or very helpful. Preliminary results identified barriers to implementation but also suggest that the intervention is feasible and helpful. A sufficiently powered randomized controlled trial is needed to assess the intervention’s efficacy.
KW - Brief anxiety interventions
KW - Child anxiety
KW - Cognitive behavioral therapy
KW - School nursing
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U2 - 10.1007/s12310-017-9211-x
DO - 10.1007/s12310-017-9211-x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85014634554
SN - 1866-2625
VL - 9
SP - 157
EP - 171
JO - School Mental Health
JF - School Mental Health
IS - 2
ER -