Development, Feasibility, and Acceptability of an Enhanced Cognitive-Behavioural Treatment for Anxiety Disorders in Children who have Clinically-Anxious Parents

Children with anxiety disorders are significantly less likely to recover following cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) if they have a parent with clinical anxiety. In response to the need to improve treatment outcomes for this particular group of children with anxiety disorders, this thesis developed and trialled an enhanced CBT intervention specifically to target anxiety maintenance factors in clinically-anxious child–parent dyads. Research findings indicated that the enhanced CBT intervention was feasible for delivery to children with complex clinical presentations. Additionally, the intervention was acceptable to participants across several key dimensions, and participants perceived the intervention components to be beneficial and appropriate.