Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychological disorders, with prevalent onset in childhood and adolescence. While cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is considered the first-line treatment for pediatric anxiety, significant barriers remain in accessing CBT and other evidence-based treatments (EBTs), and credible self-help resources based in EBT concepts. This study evaluates a family-guided CBT game application (Anchors App), targeted to children ages 6-11 and their families, which focuses on delivering adaptive CBT-based coping skills to those who have sub-clinical to mild anxiety and related symptoms in a convenient and portable platform. Anchors App will be evaluated in two forms (standard and "parent-enhanced") in comparison to use of a self-help book or waitlist control. The rapid advancements in technology allows richer interactive capacity, content scalability, customizability, and subscription to a broader range of content, which this app capitalizes on in order to increase access to CBT skill concepts directly to pediatric stakeholder populations. If found to be effective, Anchors App has the opportunity to promote engagement of EBT concepts in every-day use through smartphone technology, and will change the landscape of mental health prevention and early intervention for children and families.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
110
Modular Cognitive Behavioral Therapy delivered through a mobile app.
Modular Cognitive Behavioral Therapy delivered through a mobile app. Extra modules will focus specifically on parenting skills relevant to having an anxious child.
Parents will read "Helping Your Anxious Child: A Step-by-Step Guide" (Rapee, Wignall, Spence, Lyneham, \& Cobham, 2008)
Kansas City Center for Anxiety Treatment, P.A.
Overland Park, Kansas, United States
Spence Children's Anxiety Scale - Parent/Child Report (SCAS)
Parent and child report of anxiety with 6 DSM-IV criteria sub scales. Measuring change in reported anxiety levels in these 6 different domains over time.
Time frame: Entry into study, 6 weeks, 12 weeks
DASS-21
A screener for overall psychological distress of parent with sub scales assessing anxiety, depression, and stress.
Time frame: Entry into study, 6 weeks, 12 weeks
Centre for Epidemiological Studies- Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC)
A 20-item screener for childhood depression and psychological distress
Time frame: Entry into study, 6 weeks, 12 weeks
Anxiety Sensitivity Index- 3 (ASI-3)
A measure of parent anxiety sensitivity (fear of arousal-related sensations) in physical, social, and cognitive domains
Time frame: Entry into study, 6 weeks, 12 weeks
Child Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI)
A measure of sensitivity to symptoms of anxiety, similar to the ASI, measuring physical, social, and mental incapacitation concerns in children.
Time frame: Entry into study, 6 weeks, 12 weeks
Behavioral Inhibition Instrument (BII)
A parent-report measure of child behavioral inhibition, which has been determined to be a risk factor for later psychopathology, particularly anxiety.
Time frame: Entry into study, 6 weeks, 12 weeks
Treatment Status and Parent Confidence
Self-report measure to ensure the child is not receiving outside interventions (as would disqualify them from study) and to gauge parents' confidence in managing child's symptoms
Time frame: Entry into study, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks
Opinion on Intervention
Self-report measure to gauge families' thoughts on user-friendliness, perceived effectiveness of intervention, and likelihood to use again or recommend to others
Time frame: 6 weeks
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