Multimodal Residential Treatment for Adolescent Anxiety: Outcome and Associations with Pre-treatment Variables

Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2018 Jun;49(3):434-442. doi: 10.1007/s10578-017-0762-8.

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effect of a multimodal residential treatment program for severe adolescent anxiety, and examine whether treatment outcome was associated with pre-treatment anxiety, comorbid disorders, or participant age or gender. Participants were 70 adolescents (61.4% female, mean age = 15.4 years) with a primary anxiety disorder who received residential treatment involving cognitive behavioral therapy and medication management. Treatment outcome was assessed both as the change in adolescent-reported anxiety symptoms, and using treatment response criteria. Results indicated a strong effect of the intervention on symptoms of anxiety, depression, and anxiety-related life interference. Most pre-treatment variables were not associated with treatment outcome. However, higher adolescent-reported pre-treatment anxiety was associated with a greater reduction in anxiety at post-treatment, and the presence of a comorbid anxiety disorder was associated with poorer odds of treatment response. Findings indicate that residential treatment is a robust intervention for adolescent anxiety.

Keywords: Adolescent; Anxiety; Cognitive-behavioral therapy; Predictor; Residential treatment.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anxiety / complications
  • Anxiety / drug therapy
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Anxiety / therapy*
  • Anxiety Disorders / complications
  • Anxiety Disorders / drug therapy
  • Anxiety Disorders / psychology*
  • Anxiety Disorders / therapy*
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy*
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Depression / complications
  • Depression / drug therapy
  • Depression / psychology
  • Depression / therapy
  • Depressive Disorder / complications
  • Depressive Disorder / drug therapy
  • Depressive Disorder / psychology
  • Depressive Disorder / therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Residential Treatment*
  • Treatment Outcome