Überprüfung der Wirksamkeit des "Trainings mit sozial unsicheren Kindern"

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the "Training mit sozial unsicheren Kindern" (Petermann&Petermann, 2006), a cognitive-behavioral treatment program developed for children aged 7 to 12 years suffering from (social) anxiety disorders. The effectiveness of the treatment program was examined with a (wait-list) control group design. The sample consisted of 25 children (13 girls, 12 boys) aged 7 to 12 years who met the ICD-10 diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder. The children were randomly assigned to either a treatment (n = 14) or a (wait-list) control group (n = 11). In both conditions social anxiety was assessed by self-, parent- and teacher-report measures before, immediately after and six months after treatment. Comorbid depression and social functioning in school were assessed with further questionnaires. The results of the present study indicate the short- and long-term effectiveness of the treatment program. The parents' report showed a significant reduction of (social) anxiety symptoms after treatment in the treatment group compared to the (wait-list) control group. Furthermore, according to parents' report the treatment group also had lower levels of depressive symptoms at posttreatment, but this pre-post-difference did not exceed the changes in the (wait-list) control group. The parent-reported treatment gains in anxiety and depressive symptoms were maintained at six-month follow-up. According to children's and teachers' ratings the children experienced reduction in anxiety symptoms and improvement in social functioning in school not until six-month follow-up. Sociodemographic variables (gender, age and intelligence) and clinical status (comorbid depression) were not found to be directly related to treatment outcome. The agreement between multiple informants' ratings on children's psychopathology was only low.