Publications by authors named "Lucy Willetts"
Background: This study evaluated whether clinical and economic outcomes from CBT for child anxiety disorders in the context of maternal anxiety disorders are improved by adding treatment focused on (a) maternal anxiety disorders or (b) mother-child interactions.
Methods: Two hundred and eleven children (7-12 years, 85% White British, 52% female) with a primary anxiety disorder, whose mothers also had a current anxiety disorder, were randomised to receive (a) child-focused CBT with nonspecific control interventions (CCBT+Con), (b) CCBT with CBT for the maternal anxiety disorder (CCBT+MCBT), or (c) CCBT with an intervention targeting the mother-child interaction (CCBT+MCI). A cost-utility analysis from a societal perspective was conducted using mother/child combined quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).
Article Synopsis
- The study explored the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for children with anxiety disorders, particularly when their mothers also had anxiety issues.
- It compared three treatment groups: standard child CBT, child CBT plus maternal CBT, and child CBT plus interventions targeting mother-child interactions.
- Results indicated that adding maternal treatments could improve outcomes for children, and an economic analysis assessed the cost-effectiveness of these interventions.
Background: Promising evidence has emerged of clinical gains using guided self-help cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for child anxiety and by involving parents in treatment; however, the efficacy of guided parent-delivered CBT has not been systematically evaluated in UK primary and secondary settings.
Aims: To evaluate the efficacy of low-intensity guided parent-delivered CBT treatments for children with anxiety disorders.
Method: A total of 194 children presenting with a current anxiety disorder, whose primary carer did not meet criteria for a current anxiety disorder, were randomly allocated to full guided parent-delivered CBT (four face-to-face and four telephone sessions) or brief guided parent-delivered CBT (two face-to-face and two telephone sessions), or a wait-list control group (trial registration: ISRCTN92977593).
Anxiety disorders in childhood are common, disabling and run a chronic course. Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is effective but expensive and trained therapists are scarce. Guided self-help treatments may be a means of widening access to treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnxiety disorders are common among parents of anxious children and have been found to impede child treatment outcomes, yet it is unclear whether it is parental anxiety that needs to be targeted in therapy or associated parental behaviours. Twenty-two children (6-12 years) with a current anxiety disorder and their mothers received cognitive-behavioural treatment (CBT) for child anxiety. In addition, of the 12 mothers who met criteria for a current anxiety disorder, 6 received CBT for their own disorder.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Family history studies in adults reveal strong familiality for the anxiety disorders with some specificity. The aim of the current study was to establish whether there was an elevated rate of anxiety disorders in the parents of children with anxiety disorders, and whether there was intergenerational specificity in the form of disorder.
Methods: The mental state of a clinic sample of 85 children with anxiety disorder and their parents was systematically assessed, together with a comparison sample of 45 children with no current disorder and their parents.
Background: Working with people with mental illness is very challenging and mental health workers can have a significant impact on the mental status of their patients. Few studies have been published that describe training programmes for this staff group.
Aim: This paper aims to describe and evaluate a training programme for generic mental health workers used in the context of a residential unit for 'difficult to place' mentally ill patients.