A Pilot Study of Computer-Assisted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Childhood Anxiety in Community Mental Health...

Anxiety disorders among children are common, disabling, and run a chronic course without treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has shown robust efficacy for childhood anxiety. However, dissemination of CBT into community mental health centers (CMHCs) is limited. Computer-assisted CBT (CCBT) programs have been developed to improve dissemination by providing a structured treatment format that allows therapists to reliably deliver evidence-based treatments with fidelity. In this pilot study involving therapists with limited CBT experience, the effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of a CCBT program, Camp Cope-A-Lot (Khanna & Kendall, 2008b), were examined in three CMHCs. Seventeen youth ages 7-13 years and diagnosed with a primary anxiety disorder were enrolled. Assessments were conducted by a rater not involved in treatment at baseline and posttreatment. Significant reductions in anxiety severity and impairment were demonstrated at the posttreatment assessment. High levels of family satisfaction were reported. These results provide preliminary support for the effectiveness of a computer-assisted treatment into CMHCs and warrant replication in a controlled setting.