RecruitingNot ApplicableNCT03224845

Courageous Parents, Courageous Children

Transgenerational Prevention of Anxiety in Children at Ultra-high Risk

Sponsor

Nova Scotia Health Authority

Enrollment

88 participants

Start Date

Sep 17, 2017

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Conditions

Anxiety Disorder

Summary

Anxiety disorders usually start in childhood and adolescence and are associated with social and occupational difficulties in adulthood. Children who have a parent with an anxiety disorder and who find new situations distressing and avoid them are at an increased risk for developing an anxiety disorder. Research suggests that anti-anxiety parenting can help children grow up courageous and calm. It is, however, difficult to parent in an anti-anxiety way when the parent has an anxiety disorder himself or herself. This research study will test the efficacy of a new program designed to prevent the onset or persistence of anxiety disorders in children at risk for anxiety disorders. The investigators will first help parents learn skills to cope with their own anxiety and then coach them to share these skills with their children and parent in an anti-anxiety way. The goal is to intervene early enough in the children's lives so that they can be free of anxiety disorders and lead happy, healthy and productive lives in adulthood.

Eligibility

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

This study is testing a parenting program that helps anxious parents learn skills to prevent anxiety from developing in their young children. **You may be eligible if...** - You are a parent with a diagnosed anxiety disorder - You have at least one child between ages 2 and 8 in your care - You can speak English well enough to benefit from the program - You live in Nova Scotia **You may NOT be eligible if...** - You have already completed 6 or more sessions of structured psychological therapy in the past year - You are planning to move out of Nova Scotia in the next 3 years - You have schizophrenia, autism, an intellectual disability, or a current drug or alcohol use disorder (your child may also be assessed separately) - Your child is already receiving treatment for anxiety - Your child does not show signs of an anxious or inhibited temperament Talk to your doctor to see if this trial is right for you.

This summary was AI-generated to explain the trial in plain language. It is not medical advice. Always discuss eligibility with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.

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Interventions

BEHAVIORALCognitive behavioural skills training

The intervention will be delivered in two stages: First, the parent with an anxiety disorder will attend between six and sixteen weekly sessions of cognitive behavioural skills training focusing on their own anxiety. They will work on developing behaviours that will help them become less anxious in the long-run and on learning to evaluate danger in a realistic way. Next, the parent will take part in four to eight weekly sessions of anti-anxiety parenting skills training aiming to help them transfer the skills that they learned into parenting their children. In the parenting intervention, the parents will be guided to gradually expose their children to new situations, build communication skills and confidence, in addition to general parenting skills and principles.