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Cited by 315Digital Mental Health InterventionsAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

The Efficacy of an Internet-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Intervention for Child Anxiety Disorders

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March, S., Spence, S. H., Donovan, C. L.·2009·Journal of Pediatric Psychology
DOI 10.1093/jpepsy/jsn099
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of an Internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to the treatment of child anxiety disorders. METHODS: Seventy-three children with anxiety disorders, aged 7-12 years, and their parents were randomly assigned to either an Internet-based CBT (NET) or wait-list (WL) condition. Clinical diagnostic assessment and parent and child questionnaires were completed before and after treatment. The NET condition was reassessed at 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: At posttreatment assessment, children in the NET condition showed small but significantly greater reductions in anxiety symptoms and increases in functioning than WL participants. These improvements were enhanced during the 6-month follow-up period, with 75% of NET children free of their primary diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Internet delivery of CBT for child anxiety offers promise as a way of increasing access to treatment for this population. Future research is needed to examine ways to increase treatment compliance and further enhance the impact of treatment.

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Crossref · 10.1093/jpepsy/jsn099

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  • Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) for child and adolescent anxiety has demonstrated efficacy in randomized controlled trials.

    “Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) for child and adolescent anxiety has demonstrated efficacy in randomized controlled trials”

    From Large-scale dissemination of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for youth anxiety: Feasibility and acceptability study (2018) · cites this paper as [10]

    The Abstract reports a randomized trial in which Internet-based CBT produced significantly greater improvements than a wait-list control, and the Discussion describes those improvements as small and limited to some measures at posttreatment. The Method Participants section specifies that participants were aged 7–12; this trial therefore supports efficacy for children but does not establish it for adolescents. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The demonstrated effect sizes for reductions in anxiety from baseline to Session 9 in this study (Cohen d=0.83-1.01) are similar to the effect sizes observed in previous RCTs (Cohen d=0.91-1.23 for the full Spence Children's Anxiety Scale).

    “The demonstrated effect sizes for reductions in anxiety from the baseline to Session 9 in this study (Cohen d=0.83-1.01) are similar to the effect sizes observed in previous RCTs (Cohen d=0.91-1.23 for the full Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale) [10,11].”

    From Large-scale dissemination of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for youth anxiety: Feasibility and acceptability study (2018) · cites this paper as [10]

    Table 2 and the Questionnaire Measures section report reductions in child- and parent-rated SCAS anxiety scores after treatment. The Discussion compares outcomes with previous CBT trials, but the comparison concerns remission rates; our copy does not report the attributed Cohen’s d range of 0.91–1.23 for the full SCAS. (LLM, conf=0.78)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The sample was somewhat less severe than those examined in previous RCTs of iCBT for child anxiety.

    “Thus, the sample was somewhat less severe than those examined in previous RCTs of iCBT for child anxiety [10,11].”

    From Large-scale dissemination of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for youth anxiety: Feasibility and acceptability study (2018) · cites this paper as [10]

    The Abstract identifies this as an RCT of internet-based CBT for child anxiety, and Method Participants reports a mean pretreatment severity rating of 5.88, described as a “markedly disturbing/disabling” anxiety disorder. The source establishes the severity of its own sample, but it does not provide the citing study’s severity data, so it cannot establish that the citing sample was less severe. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Previous research has demonstrated high consumer acceptability and satisfaction with the BRAVE program.

    “our previous research has demonstrated high consumer acceptability and satisfaction [10,11].”

    From Large-scale dissemination of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for youth anxiety: Feasibility and acceptability study (2018) · cites this paper as [10]

    The Client Satisfaction section (page unavailable) reports satisfaction with BRAVE-ONLINE, but explicitly describes it as moderate, not high. The Treatment Expectancy and Credibility section (page unavailable) reports strong expectancy and credibility, which lends some support to acceptability but does not establish high consumer acceptability. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Satisfaction reported by users of the self-help version of the program was highly similar and in some cases higher than that reported by youth participating in the therapist-assisted version in previous RCTs (child program mean satisfaction rating 3.6/5; adolescent program mean satisfaction rating 3.53/5).

    “Interestingly, satisfaction reported by users of this self-help version of the program was highly similar and in some cases, higher than that reported by youth participating in the therapist-assisted version of the program in our previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs; child program, mean satisfaction rating 3.6/5) [10] (adolescent program, mean satisfaction rating 3.53/5) [11].”

    From Large-scale dissemination of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for youth anxiety: Feasibility and acceptability study (2018) · cites this paper as [10]

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [25]25. Kendall, P. C., & Grove, W. M. (1988). Normative com- parisons in therapy outcome. Behavioral Assessment. Special Issue: Defining Clinically Significant Change, 10(2), 147-158.

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Authors
March, S., Spence, S. H., & Donovan, C. L.
Affiliations
  • The University of Queensland (AU)
  • Griffith University (AU)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Pediatric Psychology
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2008-09-15
Volume
34
Issue
5
Pages
474-487
ISSN
  • 0146-8693 (ISSN-L)
  • 1465-735X
DOI
10.1093/jpepsy/jsn099
OpenAlex
W2123809053
Cited by
315
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 28 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 31 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 21
FWCI
14.23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Pediatric Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Griffith Research Online (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Medical Research Council
  • National Health and Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy, childhood anxiety disorders, childhood anxiety, treatment efficacy, waitlist control, parental involvement, medication adherence, access to mental health care, symptom relief, functioning
MeSH terms
Anxiety Disorders, Child, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Parents, Surveys and Questionnaires, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Treatment Outcome, Internet

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