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Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy for Youths with Anxiety Disorders in the Community: Effectiveness in Low and Middle Income Countries

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2013

Maria Augusta Mansur de Souza ,
Giovanni A. Salum ,
Rafaela Behs Jarros ,
Luciano Isolan ,
Roberta Davis ,
Daniela Knijnik ,
Gisele Gus Manfro  and
Elizeth Heldt
Maria Augusta Mansur de Souza*
Affiliation:
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil
Giovanni A. Salum
Affiliation:
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil
Rafaela Behs Jarros
Affiliation:
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil
Luciano Isolan
Affiliation:
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil
Roberta Davis
Affiliation:
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil
Daniela Knijnik
Affiliation:
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil
Gisele Gus Manfro
Affiliation:
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil
Elizeth Heldt
Affiliation:
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil
*
Reprint requests to Maria Mansur de Souza, UFRGS, Lucas de Oliveira, 2776/202 Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90460000, Brazil. E-mail: ma.mansur@terra.com.br
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Abstract

Background: Although cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is established as a first line treatment for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents, there is little evidence about the effectiveness of CBT protocols in cases identified in the community in low and middle income countries (LaMICs). Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness of group CBT protocol for youths with anxiety disorders identified in a community sample in LaMICs. Method: A total of 14 sessions of group CBT for youths and 2 concurrent sessions for parents based on Kendall's Coping Cat program were offered. Participants were selected from a cross-sectional community study; 45 subjects fulfilled inclusion criteria and 28 agreed to participate in the open clinical trial. Treatment effectiveness was evaluated with standard clinical, self- and parent-rated measures of anxiety, depression, externalizing symptoms and quality of life (QoL). Results: Twenty youths completed the protocol. All scales showed an improvement of anxiety and reduction in externalizing symptoms over time, with a moderate to large effect size (d = 0.59 to 2.06; p < .05), but not in depressive symptoms or QoL. Conclusions: Consistent with previous evidence, group CBT is effective in treating anxiety disorders in youths. Results encourage further randomized clinical trials using CBT protocols adapted and developed to be used in LaMICs.

Keywords

Cognitive-behavioral therapyanxiety disordersyouthgroup therapy
Type
Empirically Grounded Clinical Interventions
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 41 , Issue 3 , May 2013 , pp. 255 - 264
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2013

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