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Play-Modified One-Session Treatment for Young Children with a Specific Phobia of Dogs: A Multiple Baseline Case Series

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Abstract

The one-session treatment (OST) approach for SPs is deemed well-established, and has been found to be highly effective for older children and adults; however, has not yet been trialled with very young children. The present study examines the preliminary effectiveness of play-modified OST for young children with a SP of dogs, using a multiple baseline controlled case series design. Treatment involved play modified one-session of intensive cognitive-behavioural therapy (OST plus Play) which was followed by brief telephone delivered maintenance calls over the 3 weeks immediately following treatment. Four young children (4 years of age) participated and symptoms were assessed at pre-treatment, across a 1–3 week baseline phase, immediately following the OST plus Play, and at 1 and 3 months follow-up. Visual inspection provided evidence for stability of symptoms across the baseline phase, followed by reductions in symptoms over the course of treatment and follow-up. Non-parametric analyses offered further support, with significant improvements in following the intensive OST plus Play intervention.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Applied Psychology and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, QLD, 4222, Australia

    Lara J. Farrell & Helen Kershaw

  2. Child Study Centre, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA

    Thomas Ollendick

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  1. Lara J. Farrell
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  2. Helen Kershaw
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  3. Thomas Ollendick
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Correspondence to Lara J. Farrell.

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Farrell, L.J., Kershaw, H. & Ollendick, T. Play-Modified One-Session Treatment for Young Children with a Specific Phobia of Dogs: A Multiple Baseline Case Series. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 49, 317–329 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-017-0752-x

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