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Examines literature on cognitive behavior therapies with children and evaluates the implicit assumptions of these techniques regarding enhanced generalization of effects over time and across settings. Focuses on methodology and experiment design, client utilization of training procedures, long-term follow-up, and diagnosis. (KH)

Basic features and methodological requirements of a cognitive-behavioral perspective on childhood anxieties and phobias and their social and academic implications are discussed. Topics addressed include disorder classification, multimethod problem solving, data collection treatment techniques, and the role of teachers. (TJH)

The article announces the retirement of the founding editors-in-chief of Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review after 26 years. The journal originated from an annual book series and evolved into a journal focused on systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and conceptual and theoretical pieces. It adopted a multidisciplinary approach, welcoming contributions from various fields related to children and families. The journal's impact factor has tripled over the years, and it has grown to publish close to 50 articles per year. The incoming editor-in-chief, Professor Lara Farrell, is expected to continue the journal's success. [Extracted from the article]

Both child temperament and parenting have been extensively researched as predictors of child outcomes. However, theoretical models suggest that specific combinations of temperament styles and parenting behaviors are better predictors of certain child outcomes such as internalizing and externalizing symptoms than either temperament or parenting alone. The current qualitative review examines the interaction between one childhood temperamental characteristic (child behavioral inhibition) and parenting behaviors, and their subsequent impact on child psychopathology. Specifically, the moderating role of parenting on the relationship between child behavioral inhibition and both internalizing and externalizing psychopathology is examined, and the methodological variations which may contribute to inconsistent findings are explored. Additionally, support for the bidirectional relations between behavioral inhibition and parenting behaviors, as well as for the moderating role of temperament on the relationships between parenting and child outcomes, is briefly discussed. Finally, the clinical applicability of this overall conceptual model, specifically in regard to future research directions and potential clinical interventions, is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specific phobias (SPs) are characterized by excessive fear or anxiety regarding an object or situation. SPs often result in a host of negative outcomes in childhood and beyond. Children with SPs are broadly assumed to show dispositional over-regulation and fearfulness relative to children without SPs, but there are few attempts to distinguish dispositional patterns among children with SPs. In the present study, we examined trajectories of differing temperamental profiles for youth receiving a CBT-based treatment for their SP. Participants were 117 treatment seeking youth (M Age = 8.77 years, Age Range = 6-15 years; 54.7% girls) who met criteria for a SP and their mothers. Three temperament profiles emerged and were conceptually similar to previously supported profiles: well-adjusted; inhibited; and under-controlled. While all groups showed similarly robust reductions in SP severity following treatment, differences among the three groups emerged in terms of broader internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and global outlook. The well-adjusted group was higher in functioning initially than the other two groups. The inhibited group had initial disadvantages in initial internalizing symptoms. The under-controlled group showed greatest comorbidity risks and had initial disadvantages in both internalizing and externalizing symptoms. These distinct clusters represent considerable heterogeneity within a clinical sample of youth with SP who are often assumed to have homogenous behavior tendencies of inhibition and fearfulness. Findings suggest that considering patterns of temperament among children with phobias could assist treatment planning and inform ongoing refinements to improve treatment response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1998, Chorpita, Brown, and Barlow published a now seminal study in Behavior Therapy examining the development of anxiety in children and adolescents using Barlow's 1988 model of the development of anxiety in adults. Mindful of developmental considerations, parental control and children's perceptions of control were considered key factors in this revised model. Since that study, mixed support has accumulated for the role of control, both parental control and children's perceptions of that control, in the development of childhood anxiety. As a result, the measurement of these constructs has been critically examined and refined in recent years and encouraging findings have been obtained. Unfortunately, however, the Chorpita and colleagues study as well as the studies that have followed have used cross-sectional designs and the directionality of effects has not been clearly established. Longitudinal studies are required. Here, we present a qualitative review of these developments and provide directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review issues associated with the phenomenology, etiology, assessment, and treatment of specific phobias in children and adolescents and provide suggestions for future research and clinical practice. In doing so, we highlight the early case studies of Little Hans and Little Albert and the advances that have been made following the publication of these seminal cases. In recent years, we have witnessed a deeper understanding of the etiology of specific phobias and developed a rich array of evidence-based assessments and treatments with which to address specific phobias in youth. Although much has been accomplished in this area of inquiry, we also note that much remains to be done before we can advance more fully our understanding, assessment, and treatment of specific phobias in youth. It will be important for future work to build more firmly on these developments and to better determine the moderators and mediators of change with our evidence-based treatments and to more vigorously pursue their dissemination in real-word settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review, we examine the role of emotion regulation in the treatment of children with anxiety disorders. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to "work" for children with anxiety disorders and it has been categorized as an evidence-based treatment. However, most studies have shown that the treatment is effective for about 60-70% of children, leaving the remaining children symptomatic and oftentimes with persisting psychological disorders. Of importance, it has also been shown that many children with anxiety disorders demonstrate poor emotion regulation skills. Despite these findings, little attention has been directed toward incorporating emotion regulation strategies into these relatively effective cognitive-behavioral treatments. It is possible that CBT programs do not work as well for a portion of children because their emotion regulation deficits, if present, are not being targeted sufficiently. In this review, it is suggested that adding an emotion regulation component could increase treatment efficacy. In addition, strategies aimed at improving emotion regulation at the individual level and at the family level are introduced. Details of how improved emotion regulation skills could be beneficial in bringing about change are discussed. Finally, issues of measurement and the clinical implications for research and practice are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the relationships among attachment representation, social withdrawal, and depressive symptomatology in childhood. A total of 326 children aged 8 to 10 years participated in the study. Children completed a family drawing procedure to assess attachment representation, the Children's Depression Inventory and the Social Withdrawal subscale of the Personality Inventory for Youth. Social withdrawal and attachment representations indicative of attachment dysfunction were each found to be positively correlated with depressive symptomatology. Further, attachment representation was found to significantly moderate the relationship between withdrawal and depression such that the positive relationship between withdrawal and depression was attenuated in the absence of attachment representations indicative of attachment dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the ability of the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC), and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) to (a) discriminate between youth with an anxiety disorder and youth without a disorder; (b) discriminate between youth with an anxiety disorder and youth with either externalizing disorders or affective disorders, and (c) measure treatment change. In addition, variables, including age and sex, were explored as possible moderators of instrument utility. A meta-analysis of 43 articles was conducted. A large effect size was found when the instruments were used to compare youth with an anxiety disorder to youth without a disorder. When comparing anxious youth to psychiatric control groups, the picture was mixed; the instruments were found to be useful when the discriminating between youth with an anxiety disorder and youth with an externalizing disorder, but not between youth with an anxiety disorder and children and adolescents with an affective disorder. The RCMAS, STAIC, and CBCL were found to be moderately sensitive to treatment gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are three primary purposes of this review. First, the review distinguishes among three types of reliability and describes the importance of evaluating the reliability of child psychopathology assessment instruments for clinical practice and research. Second, parent-child reliability findings from 5 of the more carefully studied and frequently used Structured (semi and highly) diagnostic interviews (The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-age Children, The Child Assessment Scale, The Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children. The Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents, and the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children) are examined. Finally, this review explores factors that have been implicated in terms of their potential effect on parent-child agreement. In addition, future directions for research and clinical practice within this area are identified and potential resolutions to the conundrum of parent-child discordance are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explored the consequences of divorce on children in China. In contrast to Western countries, divorce in China is relatively rare, occurring in approximately 10% to 15% of the population. Children from divorced families (n = 174) and matched intact families (n = 174) were selected from a larger sample of 1,294 children between 8 and 14 years of age. Divorce was relatively low in this sample (13.45%) of participants, consistent with rates observed in epidemiological studies in China. Mothers of divorced children reported higher levels of education but lower levels of income than mothers in intact families. Children in divorced families reported higher levels of anxiety and depression, and their mothers and teachers rated them as possessing more behavior problems on the Achenbach (1991) Child Behavior Checklist scales. Regression analyses revealed that rejecting and inattentive parenting styles, along with family status (divorce or intact), high maternal depression, and sex (boys) predicted significant amounts of variance associated with these negative outcomes. Results are discussed in terms of familial and cultural issues associated with these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the role of developmental theory in clinical child psychology practice. Basic principles of developmental psychology and developmental psychopathology; Importance of developmental perspective implications on the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of childhood disorders; Characteristics of child assessment.

Examines the role of longitudinal data in the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of internalizing disorders in children and adolescents. Prevalence of the disorder; Comorbidity with other childhood disorders; Instability characterizing the disorders.

Sought to examine the validity of a teacher-nomination procedure for identifying "at risk" children. Specifically, teachers nominated 152 children as popular (n = 49), aggressive (n = 60), or socially withdrawn (n = 43); these were drawn from a total of 780 children enrolled in regular fourth-grade classes. Self-report, peer sociometric nominations and ratings, and behavioral observation measures were collected. Results indicated that the nominated aggressive and withdrawn children differed significantly from the nominated popular children on most of the measures. Further, the aggressive children differed significantly from the withdrawn children on several conceptually relevant dimensions. Finally, discriminant-function analyses revealed reasonably accurate classifications of all the children. Results are discussed in terms of the cost-effective use of this nomination procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined four social learning variables and an experimental measure of behavioral flexibility in the prediction of peer interaction. We hypothesized that these measures would account for significant variance associated with peer interaction, above and beyond that accounted for by sociometric status, a frequently used measure. Forty-three children between 6 years and 12 years of age participated. Results indicated that these measures, particularly the self-report measures of locus of control, outcome expectancy, and peer preference value, were significant predictors. Results were discussed in terms of the cost-effectiveness of these social learning variables in the prediction of peer interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examined the fears of health-impaired children using the Fear Survey Schedule for Children-Revised (FSSC-R). Relative to a control group of children, health-impaired children reported a significantly greater number, of fears. Consistent with previous research findings, there was a significant age-related decline in fears. Girls reported more fears than boys. Also observed were significant interactions between age and health status for two FSSC-R factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses various papers published within the issue, including one which addresses exciting developments in the genetics of anxiety disorders among children and another which examines the impact of parental modeling, reinforcement, and the transfer of information in the onset and maintenance of these common childhood and adolescent disorders.

Objective Children's nighttime fears are a normal part of child development and are transient for most children, but result in considerable distress for others. The present study evaluated a 4-week bibliotherapy intervention designed to treat young children with persistent and interfering nighttime fears utilizing a multiple baseline design. Method Nine children between 5 and 7 years of age with specific phobia diagnoses were randomized into one of three baseline control conditions (1, 2, or 3 weeks). The treatment protocol involved parents reading Uncle Lightfoot, Flip that Switch: Overcoming Fear of the Dark, Academic Version (Coffman, 2012) with their children over 4 weeks while engaging in activities prescribed in the book. Assessments took place at baseline, post treatment, and 1 month following treatment. Daily and weekly tracking of nighttime behaviors was also obtained. Results Pre-post group analyses revealed that eight of the nine children demonstrated clinically significant change in anxiety severity. In addition, decreases in child-reported nighttime fears were observed, as were parent-reported decreases in separation anxiety and increases in the number of nights children slept in their own bed. Conclusions The present study provides initial support for the use of bibliotherapy in the treatment of nighttime fears. Further replication and evaluation are needed to determine appropriate length of treatment and long-term effects. Implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Children''s nighttime fears are common and cause significant interference to the child''s functioning as well as causing much distress for the child and family. Therefore, effective and cost-efficient interventions are urgently needed by mental health professionals and counsellors. The authors review 29 studies, which investigated the efficacy of psychosocial treatment for children''s nighttime fears. Most studies employed multiple baseline across subject designs or between group designs and most employed cognitive-behavioral techniques (i.e., desensitisation, emotive imagery, cognitive self-instruction, and reinforcement procedures). Although multi-method, informant assessments were not always conducted, in most studies rapid reduction of nighttime fears was typically achieved after only a few sessions with maintenance of gains. On the basis of our review, we make recommendations about assessment and intervention issues for the effective treatment of children''s nighttime fears. Finally, future research directions are discussed including the need for a modern randomised clinical trial to more fully investigate treatment efficacy and the role of non-specific treatment factors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The current study examined the effects of negative information on the enhancement of childhood fear. A large group of normal primary school children aged between 4 and 12 years (N=285) received either negative or positive information about an unknown, doglike animal, called ‘the beast’. Children’s fears were assessed at three points in time: before, directly after, and one week after the information about the beast was provided (i.e., pre-, post- and follow-up assessment). Results showed that type of information changed children’s fear of the beast in the predicted direction with negative information increasing fear levels and positive information decreasing fear levels. This was not only the case directly after the experimental manipulation but also at one week follow-up. Furthermore, fear of the beast appeared to generalize, that is, children who became more fearful of the beast after receiving negative information, also became more apprehensive of other dogs and predators. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]