Adapting parent-child interaction therapy to treat anxiety disorders in young children

Abstract

Anxiety disorders are prevalent in children 7 years and younger; however, these children generally do not possess developmental skills required in cognitive behavior treatment. Recent efforts have adapted parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), originally developed for disruptive and noncompliant behavior, for young children with anxiety. This article reviews the principles underlying PCIT and the rationale for adapting it to target anxiety symptoms. The authors describe two related treatment approaches that have modified PCIT to treat anxiety: (1) Pincus and colleagues' treatment for separation anxiety, and (2) Puliafico, Comer, and Albano's CALM Program for the range of early child anxiety disorders.