The Therapeutic Relationship in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Pharmacotherapy for Anxious Youth
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-10-2013
Abstract
Objective: We examined the therapeutic relationship with cognitive-behavioral therapists and with pharmacotherapists for youth from the Child/Adolescent Anxiety Multimodal Study (Walkup et al., 2008). The therapeutic relationship was examined in relation to treatment outcomes. Method: Participants were 488 youth (ages 7-17 years; 50% male) randomized to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT; Coping Cat), pharmacotherapy (sertraline), their combination, or placebo pill. Participants met criteria for generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, and/or separation anxiety disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The therapeutic relationship was assessed by youth report at Weeks 6 and 12 of treatment using the Child's Perception of Therapeutic Relationship scale (Kendall et al., 1997). Outcome measures (Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale; Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology Anxiety Study Group, 2002; and Clinical Global Impressions Scales; Guy, 1976) were completed by independent evaluators blind to condition. Results: For youth who received CBT only, a stronger therapeutic relationship predicted positive treatment outcome. In contrast, the therapeutic relationship did not predict outcome for youth receiving sertraline, combined treatment, or placebo. Conclusion: A therapeutic relationship may be important for anxious youth who receive CBT alone. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).
Publication Title
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
PubMed ID
23750468
Recommended Citation
Cummings, Colleen M.; Caporino, Nicole E.; Settipani, Cara A.; Read, Kendra L.; Compton, Scott N.; March, John; Sherrill, Joel; Piacentini, John; McCracken, James; Walkup, John T.; Ginsburg, Golda; Albano, Anne Marie; Rynn, Moira; Birmaher, Boris; Sakolsky, Dara; Gosch, Elizabeth A.; Keeton, Courtney Pierce; and Kendall, Philip C., "The Therapeutic Relationship in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Pharmacotherapy for Anxious Youth" (2013). PCOM Scholarly Works. 60.
https://digitalcommons.pcom.edu/scholarly_papers/60
Comments
This article was published in Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, June 10, 2013.
The published version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0033294
Copyright ©2013 American Psychological Association