Short-term psychoanalytic child therapy for anxious children: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychology
• Psychotherapy Research
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Limited research exists on treatment outcomes for early childhood internalizing disorders, particularly using psychodynamic approaches.
• Anxiety disorders are prevalent in early childhood, necessitating effective and accessible treatment options.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel, short-term, manualized psychodynamic treatment program for children aged 4-10 with anxiety disorders.
• To assess treatment outcomes using standardized diagnostic interviews and parent, child, and teacher reports.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental wait-list controlled study design was employed.
• Thirty children diagnosed with DSM-IV anxiety disorders received 20-25 sessions of Psychoanalytic Child Therapy (PaCT).
• Outcomes were assessed using diagnostic interviews, parent reports, child puppet interviews, and teacher reports at multiple time points, including a 6-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• 66.67% of children who completed treatment no longer met criteria for any anxiety disorder, compared to 0% in the wait-list group.
• Parent-reported internalizing and total problems significantly decreased during treatment relative to the wait-list period.
• Symptom reductions were maintained at 6-month follow-up, as reported by clinicians, parents, and teachers.

Conclusions:

• This preliminary study suggests that short-term psychodynamic therapy (PaCT) is an effective treatment for childhood anxiety disorders.
• The findings support the use of psychodynamic approaches for internalizing symptoms in young children.
• Treatment gains were robust and maintained over a 6-month follow-up period.