The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of family- and peer-oriented therapy in treating children with anxiety disorders.

Data suggest that individual Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is effective in reducing anxiety disorders in children. The incorporation of family and peers in a CBT treatment program may be more effective in reducing anxiety symptoms than CBT alone because a child's environment affects the development, course, and outcome of childhood psychopathology and functional status. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of family and peer involvement in CBT treatment.

Children and their parents will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions: Family/Parents CBT (FCBT) or Peer/Group CBT (GCBT) for 14 to 16 weekly sessions. Parent-child relationships are the focus of the FCBT. Parents will be trained to manage their children's anxiety and avoidant behaviors by increasing acceptance and warmth toward their children. Children in the GCBT group will be trained to be more helpful and positive toward other children through role-playing activities. Interviews, questionnaires, and behavior observation tasks will be used to assess participants. All participants will be assessed at pretreatment, post-treatment, and at yearly follow-up visits for 5 years.

Ages Eligible for Study:  8 Years   -   14 Years,  Genders Eligible for Study:  Both

Criteria

Inclusion criteria:

• DSM-IV criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Social Phobia (SP), or Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
• Mean score >= 4 on the Clinician's Rating Scale of Severity
• Discontinuation of all other psychosocial treatment upon consultation with clinic staff and the service provider
• Discontinuation of stimulants for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or other psychopharmacological agents that would confound the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• DSM-IV criteria for a disorder other than GAD, SP, and SAD
• Diagnosis of any one of the following: pervasive developmental disorders, mental retardation, selective mutism, organic mental disorders, or schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders
• At risk for harm to self or others