Evaluation of a primary prevention program for anxiety disorders using story books with children aged 9-12 years.

UNLABELLED: This article reports the results of a study evaluating a book-supported primary prevention program "Dominique's Handy Tricks" for anxiety disorders in children aged 9-12 years. This cognitive-behavioural program is delivered using a combination of storybooks and workshop sessions. The originality of the program comes from the use of storybooks that were not developed specifically for anxiety management. Every session is based on a story describing characters facing common stressors and how they manage to cope with their daily problems. In our randomized control trial with 46 children, participation in the program led to a significant improvement in coping skills, perceived self-efficacy, anxiety sensitivity, as well as in symptoms of anxiety and fear. The theoretical and practical elements underlying the delivery of this primary prevention program are described.
CONCLUSION: It is suggested that such an approach, without any labelling specific to anxiety disorders, can be useful in primary prevention programs.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes