Receipt of evidence-based care for children and adolescents with anxiety in Australia
Abstract
Objective Cognitive-behavioural therapy is recommended as the first-line treatment for children and adolescents with anxiety. Despite its efficacy, a recent United Kingdom study indicated that few children with anxiety disorders receive cognitive-behavioural therapy. The primary aim of this study was to examine the receipt of cognitive-behavioural therapy for children and adolescents with elevated anxiety symptoms in Australia. Second, this study also examined whether there was a difference in the type of treatment received based on socioeconomic status and geographical location. Method Using self-reported questionnaires, parents of children aged 4-18 years and children aged 12-18 years ( N = 784; elevated anxiety symptom sample n = 169) were recruited from four samples: community ( n = 164), school ( n = 177), clinic ( n = 16) and online panel provider ( n = 427). Participants reported on the child's anxiety symptoms and the type of treatment (if any) the child received for their anxiety symptoms. Results Results indicated that 19.5% of children and adolescents with elevated anxiety symptoms received evidence-based treatment (e.g. cognitive-behavioural therapy). Of those families who did seek help for anxiety in Australia, the majority (66.3%) did not receive cognitive-behavioural therapy. In addition, neither socioeconomic status (which was based on the Australian Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage [ICSEA]) nor location (metropolitan vs regional/remote) affected…
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Only a small minority of young people can access adequate care even in high-resource settings, and primary forms of prevention are typically a very low priority.
“Despite this compelling evidence of need, only a small minority of young people can access adequate care even in high-resource settings, 46-48 and primary forms of prevention are daunting, elusive, and typically a very low priority.”
From The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on youth mental health (2024) · cites this paper as [46]
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- Authors
- Gandhi, E., OGradey-Lee, M., Jones, A., & Hudson, J. L.
- Affiliations
- Macquarie University (AU)
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Black Dog Institute (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Hudson, Jennifer L
- Venue
- Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2022-01-19
- Volume
- 56
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 1463-1476
- ISSN
- 0004-8674 (ISSN-L)
- 1440-1614
- OpenAlex
- W4205538727
- Cited by
- 22
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4
- FWCI
- 4.02
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- childhood anxiety, adolescent anxiety, cognitive behavioral therapy, evidence-based care, treatment receipt, help-seeking, socioeconomic status, geographic location, access to mental health care, Australia
- MeSH terms
- COVID-19, Adolescent, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Australia, Child, Humans, Pandemics
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