Using session recordings to understand the content of community-based treatment for childhood anxiety disorders and response to technology-based training

Objective: The goal of the current study is to advance efforts to increase the quality of care for childhood anxiety disorder (CADs) through (1) detailing the content of community-based treatment sessions, (2) exploring the validity of therapist surveys, (3) examining the influence of setting differences, and (4) testing the effects of a technology-based training on use of nonexposure strategies.

Methods: Thirteen therapists were randomly assigned to technology-based training in the use of exposure therapy or treatment as usual (TAU) for CADs. Therapeutic techniques were coded from 125 community-based treatment sessions.

Results: Consistent with survey responses community therapists spent the majority of session time reviewing symptoms (34% of session time), implementing nonexposure cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT; 36%), and rarely engaged in exposure (3%). An integrated behavioral health setting was associated with greater endorsement of exposure on survey, p < 0.05, although this difference was not significant in session recordings, p = 0.14. Multilevel models indicated that technology-based training that has been shown to increase exposure, also decreased use of nonexposure CBT techniques (2% vs. 29%, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The study supports the validity of survey-based findings that community-based care for CADs consists of non-exposure CBT techniques. Efforts should be invested in dissemination of within-session exposure.