CLINICAL ISSUES IN TREATING CHILDREN WITH ANXIETY AND PHOBIC DISORDERS

Issues involved in conducting cognitive behavioral treatment with chil dren who present with anxiety and phobic disorders are discussed. The rationale for using cognitive behavioral treatment procedures is based an our premise that effective, long-term child behavior change depend s on an adequate ''transfer of control'' from therapist to parent to c hild. The treatment involves separate and conjoint child and parent se ssions and is implemented in three phases: education, application, and relapse prevention. Specific treatment strategies, common obstacles t o implementing these strategies, and suggestions to address these obst acles are described for each phase of the treatment. A case vignette i llustrates some of the treatment issues discussed.