Assessing and treating child anxiety in schools

Abstract

Anxiety disorders in youth are common and, if left untreated, can lead to a variety of negative sequelae. Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that cognitive‐behavioral therapy (CBT) is an efficacious treatment for anxiety disorders in youth with preliminary evidence showing that CBT can be successfully transported into schools. The present article provides (a) a discussion of the inherent challenges and advantages of implementing CBT in the school setting, (b) methods used to identify anxious youth, and (c) key components of CBT for anxious youth with an emphasis on adaptation and application in the school environment. Future research directions are discussed. The successful integration of a flexible CBT approach into the domain of school mental health would be a favorable step toward effective dissemination and would ensure the enduring provision of evidence‐based practice to children and adolescents struggling with anxiety.