Adapting Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Young Children with Separation Anxiety Disorder

• Published in: Education & treatment of children Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 163 - 181
• Main Authors: Pincus, Donna B., Eyberg, Sheila M., Choate, Molly L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York The Roscoe Ledger 01-05-2005; Springer; West Virginia University Press, University of West Virginia
• Subjects: Adults; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Care and treatment; Child molestation; Child psychiatry; Child psychopathology; Child rearing; Childhood; Children; Children & youth; Divorce; Early Intervention; Education; Interaction; Longitudinal Studies; Parent and child; Parent Child Relationship; Parent-child relations; Parents; Parents & parenting; Preschool children; Psychotherapy; Rewards; Separation Anxiety; Separation anxiety (Child psychology); Social interaction; STUDIES; Therapy; Young Children; United States
• ISSN: 0748-8491; 1934-8924

Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is currently the most prevalent, yet most under-researched anxiety disorder in childhood. To date, there have been few studies investigating the efficacy of interventions for young children with SAD. The primary purpose of this paper is to describe the process of tailoring Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) for young children aged 4-8 with SAD. The paper provides a theoretical rationale for using PCIT to treat young children with SAD. The first randomized clinical trial for young children with SAD is then described. The paper focuses on the process of adapting PCIT to make it most relevant for children with SAD. The specific challenges and rewards of conducting PCIT with anxious children and their parents are presented.