Short Research Article: Changes in life functioning in a self‐help, online program for child and adolescent anxiety

Abstract

BackgroundAnxiety‐related functional impairment, as reflected by life interference, is a lesser explored but highly relevant treatment outcome, and it is crucial that it be included and examined in the evaluation of treatment outcomes of internet‐delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (iCBT).MethodsThis single group, pre‐post study examined changes in life interference and anxiety symptoms in a sample of children (n = 1198; mean age 9.66 years) and adolescents (n = 721; mean age 13.66 years) participating in the BRAVE Self‐Help program in Australia.ResultsResults demonstrated that both children and adolescents showed improvements in anxiety symptoms, with effect sizes ranging from ηp2 = .194–.318. Reductions in life interference were evident for children (ηp2 = .008–.044), particularly later in the programme, but adolescents did not show such effects. Adolescents in the low completer group (completing 3–5 sessions) showed increases in at‐home interference (ηp2 = .038).ConclusionsAdolescents in particular may require more sessions before entrenched life interference, such as that resulting from avoidance behaviours, can be overcome.

Editorial: Short interventions and self‐help interventions in child and adolescent mental health

“…Politte-Corn and colleagues evaluated age-related differences in social media use, online social support and depressive symptoms in adolescents and emerging adults (Politte-Corn, Nick, & Kujawa, 2023). As another example, in the article by Rowe et al (2023) evaluating the use of a self-help online programme for children and adolescents, reductions in life interference were observed in children but not in adolescents. Other factors, such as the severity of symptoms, also seem to have an impact on the efficacy of the interventions.…”

“…A pilot randomized clinical trial found that a guided paced breathing audiovisual intervention of no more than 10 min per session decreased anxiety symptoms in the intervention group compared to the control group (Shank et al., 2022). Another study evaluating a self‐help, online programme showed improvements in anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents, and reductions in life interference in children (Rowe, Evans, Donovan, Spence, & March, 2023).…”

“…As another example, in the article by Rowe et al. (2023) evaluating the use of a self‐help online programme for children and adolescents, reductions in life interference were observed in children but not in adolescents. Other factors, such as the severity of symptoms, also seem to have an impact on the efficacy of the interventions.…”