A study presented at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) 55th Annual Meeting in Chicago demonstrates three treatments are effective in treating anxiety disorders in children and adolescents.
Contact: Erin Baker, Communications Director
202.966.7300, Ext. 119
ebaker@aacap.org
Adam Lowe, Communications Coordinator
202.966.7300, Ext. 154
alowe@aacap.org
WASHINGTON, DC, November 3, 2008 —A study presented at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) 55th Annual Meeting in Chicago demonstrates three treatments are effective in treating anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. According to the study, supported by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), treatment that combines cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a type of psychotherapy, and an antidepressant medication is most effective in treating children and adolescents with anxiety. The study was published online October 30, in the New England Journal of Medicine1.
“Dr. Walkup and his colleagues' compelling research shows the effectiveness of three different types of therapies for treating childhood and adolescent anxiety disorders,” said AACAP President Robert Hendren, D.O. “As the U.S. Surgeon General estimates that more than 10 percent of children and adolescents have an anxiety disorder, this research is relevant to thousands of families.”
Symptoms of anxiety in children can include intense fears about the safety of parents and caretakers, refusing to go to school, frequent stomachaches and other physical complaints, extreme worries about sleeping away from home, being overly clingy, difficulty separating from parents, and/or trouble sleeping. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of talk therapy that addresses negative thoughts and thinking patterns (from AACAP Facts for Families on anxiety).
“This is an example of essential research funded by the NIMH,” said AACAP President-Elect Larry Greenhill, M.D. “I look to the federal government to support more large-scale and long- term studies in this vein.”
“The CAMS study reinforces the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), especially in combination with medication,” said AACAP President Robert Hendren, D.O. “Unfortunately, due to the shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists there are not enough clinicians trained in delivering this specific type of talk therapy to meet the overwhelming need.”
The Child/Adolescent Multimodal Study randomly assigned 488 children and adolescents ages 7 to 17 years to one of four treatment options for a 12 week period. The study’s team found that among children and adolescents receiving combination treatment, 81 percent improved. Sixty percent of the children receiving CBT only improved and 55 percent receiving antidepressant medication only improved. Twenty four percent of those receiving only placebo improved2.
Results of the CAMS study demonstrate the three different types of treatments’ safety. Children and adolescents taking antidepressant medication alone showed no more adverse effects than the children and adolescents who took only placebo. Few children and adolescents stopped participating in the trial because of side effects.
Dr. Walkup is associate professor and deputy director of the division of child and adolescent psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.
The six CAMS sites were Duke University; Columbia University/New York University; Johns Hopkins University; Temple University/University of Pennsylvania; University of California, Los Angeles; and the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic/University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
For more information on anxiety disorders, visit the AACAP Web site at www.aacap.org. To interview a child and adolescent psychiatrist about anxiety disorders, contact Adam Lowe at 202.966.7300, ext. 154 or alowe@aacap.org.
The mission of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is the promotion of mentally healthy children, adolescents and families through research, training, advocacy, prevention, comprehensive diagnosis and treatment, peer support and collaboration.
Reference: Walkup JT, Albano AM, Piacentini J, Birmaher B, Compton SN, Sherrill J, Ginsburg GS, Rynn MA, McCracken J, Waslick B, Iyengar S, March JS, Kendall PC. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, sertraline and their combination for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders: acute phase efficacy and safety. New England Journal of Medicine. Online ahead of print 30 Oct 2008: 359(17)
Reference: Labbe, C, Sisson K, NIMH Press Release 30 October 2008 http://www.nih.gov/news/health/oct2008/nimh-30.htm
Contact: Erin Baker, Communications Director
202.966.7300, Ext. 119
ebaker@aacap.org
Adam Lowe, Communications Coordinator
202.966.7300, Ext. 154
alowe@aacap.org
WASHINGTON, DC, November 3, 2008 —A study presented at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) 55th Annual Meeting in Chicago demonstrates three treatments are effective in treating anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. According to the study, supported by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), treatment that combines cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a type of psychotherapy, and an antidepressant medication is most effective in treating children and adolescents with anxiety. The study was published online October 30, in the New England Journal of Medicine1.
“Dr. Walkup and his colleagues' compelling research shows the effectiveness of three different types of therapies for treating childhood and adolescent anxiety disorders,” said AACAP President Robert Hendren, D.O. “As the U.S. Surgeon General estimates that more than 10 percent of children and adolescents have an anxiety disorder, this research is relevant to thousands of families.”
Symptoms of anxiety in children can include intense fears about the safety of parents and caretakers, refusing to go to school, frequent stomachaches and other physical complaints, extreme worries about sleeping away from home, being overly clingy, difficulty separating from parents, and/or trouble sleeping. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of talk therapy that addresses negative thoughts and thinking patterns (from AACAP Facts for Families on anxiety).
“This is an example of essential research funded by the NIMH,” said AACAP President-Elect Larry Greenhill, M.D. “I look to the federal government to support more large-scale and long- term studies in this vein.”
“The CAMS study reinforces the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), especially in combination with medication,” said AACAP President Robert Hendren, D.O. “Unfortunately, due to the shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists there are not enough clinicians trained in delivering this specific type of talk therapy to meet the overwhelming need.”
The Child/Adolescent Multimodal Study randomly assigned 488 children and adolescents ages 7 to 17 years to one of four treatment options for a 12 week period. The study’s team found that among children and adolescents receiving combination treatment, 81 percent improved. Sixty percent of the children receiving CBT only improved and 55 percent receiving antidepressant medication only improved. Twenty four percent of those receiving only placebo improved2.
Results of the CAMS study demonstrate the three different types of treatments’ safety. Children and adolescents taking antidepressant medication alone showed no more adverse effects than the children and adolescents who took only placebo. Few children and adolescents stopped participating in the trial because of side effects.
Dr. Walkup is associate professor and deputy director of the division of child and adolescent psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.
The six CAMS sites were Duke University; Columbia University/New York University; Johns Hopkins University; Temple University/University of Pennsylvania; University of California, Los Angeles; and the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic/University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
For more information on anxiety disorders, visit the AACAP Web site at www.aacap.org. To interview a child and adolescent psychiatrist about anxiety disorders, contact Adam Lowe at 202.966.7300, ext. 154 or alowe@aacap.org.
The mission of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is the promotion of mentally healthy children, adolescents and families through research, training, advocacy, prevention, comprehensive diagnosis and treatment, peer support and collaboration.
Reference: Walkup JT, Albano AM, Piacentini J, Birmaher B, Compton SN, Sherrill J, Ginsburg GS, Rynn MA, McCracken J, Waslick B, Iyengar S, March JS, Kendall PC. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, sertraline and their combination for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders: acute phase efficacy and safety. New England Journal of Medicine. Online ahead of print 30 Oct 2008: 359(17)
Reference: Labbe, C, Sisson K, NIMH Press Release 30 October 2008 http://www.nih.gov/news/health/oct2008/nimh-30.htm
