ATTRITION IN THE TREATMENT OF CHILDHOOD ANXIETY DISORDERS

The present study explored the differences between completers and term inators (including both refusers and dropouts) of an individual cognit ive-behavioral treatment for childhood anxiety. Participants were 190 children with anxiety disorders and their parents: 146 completed treat ment and 44 terminated. Terminators were more likely to live in a sing le-parent household, be ethnic minorities, and self-report less anxiou s symptomatology. Follow-up interviews indicated that identifiable chi ld factors were influential in terminators' decisions to discontinue t reatment. Among terminators, differences between refusers and dropouts were also investigated.