Internet-delivered parenting program for prevention and early intervention of anxiety problems in young children: randomized controlled trial

Amy J. Morgan; Ronald M. Rapee; Agus Salim; Nahal Goharpey; Elli Tamir; Lauren F. McLellan; Jordana K. Bayer

doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2017.02.010

Internet-delivered parenting program for prevention and early intervention of anxiety problems in young children: randomized controlled trial

Amy J. Morgan^*, Ronald M. Rapee, Agus Salim, Nahal Goharpey, Elli Tamir, Lauren F. McLellan, Jordana K. Bayer

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

76 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective The Cool Little Kids parenting group program is an effective intervention for preventing anxiety disorders in young children who are at risk because of inhibited temperament. The program has six group sessions delivered by trained psychologists to parents of 3- to 6-year-old children. An online adaptation (Cool Little Kids Online) has been developed to overcome barriers to its wide dissemination in the community. This study tested the efficacy of Cool Little Kids Online in a randomized controlled trial. Method A total of 433 parents of a child aged 3 to 6 years with an inhibited temperament were randomized to the online parenting program or to a 24-week waitlist. The online program has 8 interactive modules providing strategies that parents can implement with their child to manage their child's avoidant coping, reduce parental overprotection, and encourage child independence. Parents were provided telephone consultation support with a psychologist when requested. Parents completed self-report questionnaires at baseline and at 12 and 24 weeks after baseline. Results The intervention group showed significantly greater improvement over time in child anxiety symptoms compared to the control group (d = 0.38). The intervention group also showed greater reductions in anxiety life interference (ds = 0.33−0.35) and lower rates of anxiety disorders than the control group (40% versus 54%), but there were minimal effects on broader internalizing symptoms or overprotective parenting. Conclusion Results provide empirical support for the efficacy of online delivery of the Cool Little Kids program. Online dissemination may improve access to an evidence-based prevention program for child anxiety disorders. Clinical trial registration information—Randomised Controlled Trial of Cool Little Kids Online: A Parenting Program to Prevent Anxiety Problems in Young Children; http://www.anzctr.org.au/; 12615000217505

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	417-425.e1
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Volume	56
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2017.02.010
Publication status	Published - 1 May 2017

Keywords

anxiety disorders
internet
prevention
parenting

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Morgan, A. J., Rapee, R. M., Salim, A., Goharpey, N., Tamir, E., McLellan, L. F., & Bayer, J. K. (2017). Internet-delivered parenting program for prevention and early intervention of anxiety problems in young children: randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 56(5), 417-425.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2017.02.010

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title = "Internet-delivered parenting program for prevention and early intervention of anxiety problems in young children: randomized controlled trial",

abstract = "Objective The Cool Little Kids parenting group program is an effective intervention for preventing anxiety disorders in young children who are at risk because of inhibited temperament. The program has six group sessions delivered by trained psychologists to parents of 3- to 6-year-old children. An online adaptation (Cool Little Kids Online) has been developed to overcome barriers to its wide dissemination in the community. This study tested the efficacy of Cool Little Kids Online in a randomized controlled trial. Method A total of 433 parents of a child aged 3 to 6 years with an inhibited temperament were randomized to the online parenting program or to a 24-week waitlist. The online program has 8 interactive modules providing strategies that parents can implement with their child to manage their child's avoidant coping, reduce parental overprotection, and encourage child independence. Parents were provided telephone consultation support with a psychologist when requested. Parents completed self-report questionnaires at baseline and at 12 and 24 weeks after baseline. Results The intervention group showed significantly greater improvement over time in child anxiety symptoms compared to the control group (d = 0.38). The intervention group also showed greater reductions in anxiety life interference (ds = 0.33−0.35) and lower rates of anxiety disorders than the control group (40% versus 54%), but there were minimal effects on broader internalizing symptoms or overprotective parenting. Conclusion Results provide empirical support for the efficacy of online delivery of the Cool Little Kids program. Online dissemination may improve access to an evidence-based prevention program for child anxiety disorders. Clinical trial registration information—Randomised Controlled Trial of Cool Little Kids Online: A Parenting Program to Prevent Anxiety Problems in Young Children; http://www.anzctr.org.au/; 12615000217505",

keywords = "anxiety disorders, internet, prevention, parenting",

author = "Morgan, {Amy J.} and Rapee, {Ronald M.} and Agus Salim and Nahal Goharpey and Elli Tamir and McLellan, {Lauren F.} and Bayer, {Jordana K.}",

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Morgan, AJ, Rapee, RM, Salim, A, Goharpey, N, Tamir, E, McLellan, LF & Bayer, JK 2017, 'Internet-delivered parenting program for prevention and early intervention of anxiety problems in young children: randomized controlled trial', Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, vol. 56, no. 5, pp. 417-425.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2017.02.010

Internet-delivered parenting program for prevention and early intervention of anxiety problems in young children: randomized controlled trial. / Morgan, Amy J.; Rapee, Ronald M.; Salim, Agus et al.
In: Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Vol. 56, No. 5, 01.05.2017, p. 417-425.e1.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Internet-delivered parenting program for prevention and early intervention of anxiety problems in young children

T2 - randomized controlled trial

AU - Morgan, Amy J.

AU - Rapee, Ronald M.

AU - Salim, Agus

AU - Goharpey, Nahal

AU - Tamir, Elli

AU - McLellan, Lauren F.

AU - Bayer, Jordana K.

PY - 2017/5/1

Y1 - 2017/5/1

N2 - Objective The Cool Little Kids parenting group program is an effective intervention for preventing anxiety disorders in young children who are at risk because of inhibited temperament. The program has six group sessions delivered by trained psychologists to parents of 3- to 6-year-old children. An online adaptation (Cool Little Kids Online) has been developed to overcome barriers to its wide dissemination in the community. This study tested the efficacy of Cool Little Kids Online in a randomized controlled trial. Method A total of 433 parents of a child aged 3 to 6 years with an inhibited temperament were randomized to the online parenting program or to a 24-week waitlist. The online program has 8 interactive modules providing strategies that parents can implement with their child to manage their child's avoidant coping, reduce parental overprotection, and encourage child independence. Parents were provided telephone consultation support with a psychologist when requested. Parents completed self-report questionnaires at baseline and at 12 and 24 weeks after baseline. Results The intervention group showed significantly greater improvement over time in child anxiety symptoms compared to the control group (d = 0.38). The intervention group also showed greater reductions in anxiety life interference (ds = 0.33−0.35) and lower rates of anxiety disorders than the control group (40% versus 54%), but there were minimal effects on broader internalizing symptoms or overprotective parenting. Conclusion Results provide empirical support for the efficacy of online delivery of the Cool Little Kids program. Online dissemination may improve access to an evidence-based prevention program for child anxiety disorders. Clinical trial registration information—Randomised Controlled Trial of Cool Little Kids Online: A Parenting Program to Prevent Anxiety Problems in Young Children; http://www.anzctr.org.au/; 12615000217505

AB - Objective The Cool Little Kids parenting group program is an effective intervention for preventing anxiety disorders in young children who are at risk because of inhibited temperament. The program has six group sessions delivered by trained psychologists to parents of 3- to 6-year-old children. An online adaptation (Cool Little Kids Online) has been developed to overcome barriers to its wide dissemination in the community. This study tested the efficacy of Cool Little Kids Online in a randomized controlled trial. Method A total of 433 parents of a child aged 3 to 6 years with an inhibited temperament were randomized to the online parenting program or to a 24-week waitlist. The online program has 8 interactive modules providing strategies that parents can implement with their child to manage their child's avoidant coping, reduce parental overprotection, and encourage child independence. Parents were provided telephone consultation support with a psychologist when requested. Parents completed self-report questionnaires at baseline and at 12 and 24 weeks after baseline. Results The intervention group showed significantly greater improvement over time in child anxiety symptoms compared to the control group (d = 0.38). The intervention group also showed greater reductions in anxiety life interference (ds = 0.33−0.35) and lower rates of anxiety disorders than the control group (40% versus 54%), but there were minimal effects on broader internalizing symptoms or overprotective parenting. Conclusion Results provide empirical support for the efficacy of online delivery of the Cool Little Kids program. Online dissemination may improve access to an evidence-based prevention program for child anxiety disorders. Clinical trial registration information—Randomised Controlled Trial of Cool Little Kids Online: A Parenting Program to Prevent Anxiety Problems in Young Children; http://www.anzctr.org.au/; 12615000217505

KW - anxiety disorders

KW - internet

KW - prevention

KW - parenting

UR - http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1052544

U2 - 10.1016/j.jaac.2017.02.010

DO - 10.1016/j.jaac.2017.02.010

M3 - Article

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AN - SCOPUS:85016836008

SN - 0890-8567

VL - 56

SP - 417-425.e1

JO - Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

JF - Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

IS - 5

ER -

Internet-delivered parenting program for prevention and early intervention of anxiety problems in young children: randomized controlled trial

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Keywords

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