Using session recordings to understand the content of community-based treatment for childhood anxiety disorders and...

The goal of the current study is to advance efforts to increase the quality of care for childhood anxiety disorder (CADs) through (1) detailing the content of community-based treatment sessions, (2) exploring the validity of therapist surveys, (3) examining the influence of setting differences, and (4) testing the effects of a technology-based training on use of nonexposure strategies.

Thirteen therapists were randomly assigned to technology-based training in the use of exposure therapy or treatment as usual (TAU) for CADs. Therapeutic techniques were coded from 125 community-based treatment sessions.

Consistent with survey responses community therapists spent the majority of session time reviewing symptoms (34% of session time), implementing nonexposure cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT; 36%), and rarely engaged in exposure (3%). An integrated behavioral health setting was associated with greater endorsement of exposure on survey, p < 0.05, although this difference was not significant in session recordings, p = 0.14. Multilevel models indicated that technology-based training that has been shown to increase exposure, also decreased use of nonexposure CBT techniques (2% vs. 29%, p < 0.001).

The study supports the validity of survey-based findings that community-based care for CADs consists of non-exposure CBT techniques. Efforts should be invested in dissemination of within-session exposure.