OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relative efficacy of (1) child therapy, (2) parent/teacher training, and (3) the combination of child therapy and parent/teacher training in the treatment of anxiety-based school refusal. METHOD: Sixty-one school-refusing children (aged 7-14 years) from throughout Melbourne, Australia, were randomized to a child therapy program, a parent and teacher training program, or a combination of the two. Children were assessed before and after treatment, and at 4.5-month follow-up, by means of attendance records, self-report of emotional distress and self-efficacy, parent and teacher reports of emotional distress, and clinician ratings of overall functioning. RESULTS: Statistically and clinically significant pretreatment-posttreatment change occurred for each group. Immediately posttreatment, child therapy appeared to be the least effective in increasing attendance. By follow-up, the attendance and adjustment of those in the child therapy group equalled that of children whose parents and teachers were involved in treatment, whether on their own (parent/teacher training) or together with their children (combined child therapy and parent/teacher training). CONCLUSION: Contrary to expectations, combined child therapy and parent/teacher training did not produce better outcomes at posttreatment or follow-up.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relative efficacy of (1) child therapy, (2) parent/teacher training, and (3) the combination of child therapy and parent/teacher training in the treatment of anxiety-based school refusal. METHOD: Sixty-one school-refusing children (aged 7-14 years) from throughout Melbourne, Australia, were randomized to a child therapy program, a parent and teacher training program, or a combination of the two. Children were assessed before and after treatment, and at 4.5-month follow-up, by means of attendance records, self-report of emotional distress and self-efficacy, parent and teacher reports of emotional distress, and clinician ratings of overall functioning. RESULTS: Statistically and clinically significant pretreatment-posttreatment change occurred for each group. Immediately posttreatment, child therapy appeared to be the least effective in increasing attendance. By follow-up, the attendance and adjustment of those in the child therapy group equalled that of children whose parents and teachers were involved in treatment, whether on their own (parent/teacher training) or together with their children (combined child therapy and parent/teacher training). CONCLUSION: Contrary to expectations, combined child therapy and parent/teacher training did not produce better outcomes at posttreatment or follow-up.
Authors: Glenn A Melvin; Amanda L Dudley; Michael S Gordon; Ester Klimkeit; Eleonora Gullone; John Taffe; Bruce J Tonge Journal: Child Psychiatry Hum Dev Date: 2017-06
Authors: David Heyne; Floor M Sauter; Thomas H Ollendick; Brigit M Van Widenfelt; P Michiel Westenberg Journal: Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev Date: 2014-06
Authors: Martin A Katzman; Pierre Bleau; Pierre Blier; Pratap Chokka; Kevin Kjernisted; Michael Van Ameringen; Martin M Antony; Stéphane Bouchard; Alain Brunet; Martine Flament; Sophie Grigoriadis; Sandra Mendlowitz; Kieron O'Connor; Kiran Rabheru; Peggy M A Richter; Melisa Robichaud; John R Walker Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2014-07-02 Impact factor: 3.630