Abstract
Background: Anxiety disorders in youth are among the most common psychiatric disorders, yet the majority of affected youth do not receive treatment. One approach to improving access to care is identification and intervention within the primary care setting. Objective: This manuscript presents data from a single group pre-post open trial of the Anxiety Action Plan (AxAP), a brief pediatrician-delivered intervention to reduce anxiety in youth who present in the primary care setting. Methods: Eleven pediatricians conducted the intervention with 25 youth (mean age 11.16 years; range 6–18 years) with elevated levels of anxiety in their primary care practice setting. Results: Pediatricians’ ratings of the AxAP training were positive (mean overall satisfaction was 4.82 on 5 point scale). Pediatricians and parents also reported high levels of intervention satisfaction and acceptability. Parents (but not children) who completed the intervention reported significant reductions from pre- to post-intervention on measures of child anxiety severity, impairment, and caregiver burden (Cohen’s d 1.06, 0.75, 0.60, respectively). Conclusions: Findings suggest that a brief, pediatrician-delivered intervention in primary care settings appears feasible and beneficial to patients. Additional controlled evaluation of the intervention’s efficacy is needed.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 19-32 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Child and Youth Care Forum |
Volume | 45 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 1 2016 |
Keywords
- Brief anxiety intervention
- Child anxiety
- Pediatrician
- Primary care
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
- Life-span and Life-course Studies