Identifying Child Anxiety Through Schools-identification to intervention (iCATS-i2i): protocol for single-arm...

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health
• School-Based Interventions
• Anxiety Disorders in Children

Background:

• Anxiety disorders are prevalent in primary school children, yet many lack access to evidence-based treatment.
• School-based identification and support can overcome significant barriers to care for families and educators.
• Co-designed procedures involving screening, parent feedback, and brief interventions were developed with stakeholders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of a school-based cluster randomized controlled trial for childhood anxiety.
• To evaluate the acceptability and impact of co-designed procedures for identifying and supporting anxious children.
• To estimate recruitment/retention rates and refine study protocols for future trials.

Main Methods:

• Six primary/junior schools in England recruited 360 children (aged 8-9), parents, and teachers.
• Participants completed baseline and 12-week follow-up questionnaires.
• Children screening positive for anxiety (n=43 expected) were offered the Online Support and Intervention (OSI) program, a parent-led online intervention with practitioner support.

Main Results:

• Qualitative interviews and discussion groups assessed participants' experiences with the study procedures.
• Feasibility, acceptability, and potential impact on access to care were evaluated.
• Data on recruitment and retention rates were collected to inform future trial design.

Conclusions:

• Implementing evidence-based procedures in primary schools can enhance children's access to timely and effective anxiety interventions.
• School-based approaches are crucial for addressing treatment access barriers in pediatric anxiety disorders.