Skip to main content
Log in

Modification of Cognitive-Behavioral Techniques in the Treatment of a Five Year-Old Girl with Social Phobia

  • Published:
Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Social phobia is a debilitating anxiety disorder that often goes undetected in young children, but can be effectively treated with cognitive-behavioral interventions. For children and adolescents, treatment usually includes education, social skills training, cognitive restructuring, relaxation training, and exposure. However, for very young children who present with social phobia, it is necessary to adapt treatment to the developmental level of the child. A case illustration demonstrates the way in which cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) was modified for the treatment of a five year-old girl with social phobia. Several modifications were made, including utilizing novel exposure techniques and emphasizing parent management training in order to promote generalization of treatment gains outside of session.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Albano, A., Detweiler, M., & Logsdon-Conradsen, S. (1999). Cognitive-behavioral interventions with socially phobic children. In S. Russ & T. Ollendick (Eds.), Handbook of psychotherapies with children and families (pp. 255–280). New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder (4th edition). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrett, P. (1998). Evaluation of cognitive-behavioral group treatments for childhood anxiety disorders. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 27(4), 459–468.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrett, P., Dadds, M., & Rapee, R. (1996). Family treatment of childhood anxiety: A controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64(2), 333–342.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrett, P., Duffy, A., Dadds, M., & Rapee, R. (2001). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of anxiety disorders in children: Long-term (6-year) follow-up. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 69(1), 135–141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beidel, D., Turner, S., & Morris, T. (1995). A new instrument to assess childhood social anxiety and Phobia: The Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children. Psychological Assessment, 1, 73–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beidel, D., Turner, S., & Morris, T. (1998). Social Effectiveness Therapy for children: A treatment manual. Unpublished manuscript: Medical University of South Carolina.

  • Beidel, D., Turner, S., & Morris, T. (2000). Behavioral treatment of childhood social phobia. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68(6), 1072–1080.

    Google Scholar 

  • Biederman, J., Rosenbaum, J.F., Bolduc-Murphy, E.A., Faraone, S.V., Chaloff, J., Hirshfeld, D.R., & Kagan, J. (1993). A 3-year follow-up of children with and without behavioral inhibition. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 32, 814–821.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradley, S. (2000). Affect regulation and the development of psychopathology. New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cobham, V., Dadds, M., & Spence, S. (1998). The role of parental anxiety in the treatment of childhood anxiety. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66(6), 893–905.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dadds, M.R., Holland, D.E., Laurens, K.R., Mullins, M., Barrett, P.M., & Spence, S.H. (1999). Early intervention and prevention of anxiety disorders in children: Results of a 2-year follow-up. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 67(1), 145–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dadds, M.R., Spence, S.H., Holland, D.E., Barrett, P.M., & Laurens, K.R. (1997). Prevention and early intervention for anxiety disorders: A controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65(4), 627–635.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flannery-Shroeder, E. C., & Kendall, P. C. (2000). Group and individual cognitive behavioral treatments for youth with anxiety disorders: A randomized clinical trial. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 24, 251–278.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kashdan, T., & Herbert, J. (2001). Social anxiety disorder in childhood and adolescence: Current status and future directions. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 4, 37–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kendall, P. (1994). Treating anxiety disorders in children: Results of a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62(1), 100–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kendall, P. (2000). Guiding theory for therapy with children and adolescents. In P. Kendall (Ed.), Child and adolescent therapy: Cognitive-behavioral procedures. (pp. 3–27). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kendall, P., Brady, E., & Verduin, T. (2001). Comorbidity in childhood anxiety disorders and treatment outcome. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 40(7), 787–794.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kendall, P., Chu, B., Gifford, A., Hayes, C., & Nauta, M. (1998). Breathing life into a manual: Flexibility and creativity with manual-based treatments. Cognitive & Behavioral Practice, 5, 177–198.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kendall, P., Chu, B., Pimental, S., & Choudhury, M. (2000). Treating anxiety disorders in youth. In P. Kendall (Ed.),Child and adolescent therapy: Cognitive-behavioral procedures. (pp. 235–287). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kendall, P., Flannery-Schroeder, E., Panichelli-Mindel, S., Southam-Gorow, M., Henin, A., & Warman, M. (1997). Therapy for youths with anxiety disorders: A second randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65(3), 366–380.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kendall, P., & Southam-Gerow, M. (1996). Long-term follow-up of a cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety-disordered youth. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64(4), 724–730.

    Google Scholar 

  • LaGreca, A. & Stone, W. (1993). Social Anxiety Scale for Children-Revised: Factor structure and concurrent validity. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 22, 17–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • McConaughy, S. (1993). Advances in empirically based assessment of children's behavioral and emotional problems. School Psychology Review, 22, 285–307.

    Google Scholar 

  • Overholser, J. C. (2002). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of social phobia. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 32(2), 123–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rapee, R., Spence, S., Cobham, V., & Wignall, A. (2000). Helping your anxious child. New York: New Harbinger Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, C., Snidman, N., & Kagan, J. (1999). Adolescent social anxiety as an outcome of inhibited temperament in childhood. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 38, 1008–1015.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silverman, W., Kurtines, W., Ginsburg, G., Weems, C., Lumpkin, P., & Carmichael, D. (1999a). Treating anxiety disorders in children with group cognitive-behavioral therapy: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 67(6), 995–1003.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silverman, W., Kurtines, W., Ginsburg, G., Weems, C., Rabian, B., & Serafini, L. (1999b). Contingency management, self-control, and education support in the treatment of childhood phobic disorders: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 67(5), 675–687.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spence, S., Donovan, C., & Brechman-Toussaint, M. (2000). The treatment of childhood social phobia: The effectiveness of a social skills training-based, cognitive–behavioural intervention, with and without parental involvement. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 41, 713–726.

    Google Scholar 

  • Velting, O., & Albano, A. (2001). Current trends in the understanding and treatment of social phobia in youth. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 42, 127–140.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Miller, V.A., Feeny, N.C. Modification of Cognitive-Behavioral Techniques in the Treatment of a Five Year-Old Girl with Social Phobia. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy 33, 303–319 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOCP.0000004501.18852.40

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOCP.0000004501.18852.40

Navigation