There are a variety of different psychological interventions used to treat recurrent abdominal pain in childhood. Active components in these interventions are unclear. Parents play an important role when it comes to their children's response to pain and management of pain, and are regularly involved in interventions. Four electronic databases were…

Anxiety commonly co-occurs in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and contributes to the difficulties students experience at school. Few school-based interventions demonstrate strong empirical data for successfully treating anxiety in children with ASD at school. The factors that are important to maximizing school-based intervention…

Objective: The study examined the effects of therapeutic alliance (TA; relational bond, task collaboration) on externalizing behavior outcomes, how TA can operate differently when children are seen in individual versus group sessions, and how therapist-child disagreement in perceptions of TA affects outcomes. Method: 360 children (ages 9.2 to…

The purpose of this literature review was to provide a comprehensive summary of the relationship between Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). Eight research studies published between the years 2012 and 2022 were included in the review. The studies examined various symptoms, risk factors,…

The aim of the present study was to examine the additive effect of elements of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on the video game Mindlight in decreasing anxiety of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A non-concurrent multiple baseline design with 8 children with ASD in the age of 8-12 was used. CBT did not have the hypothesized…

Exposure and response prevention is an evidence-based intervention recommended as a first-line treatment for childhood anxiety disorders. Despite over a century of research establishing its efficacy, many school- and college-aged youth fail to receive timely and effective treatment. This brief review will summarize the rationale and efficacy of…

Purpose: Active engagement in one's therapy is a key contributor to successful outcomes. Research on child engagement in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) has largely focused on youth without autism. This longitudinal study examined multiple indicators of child engagement in relation to outcomes for autistic children who took part in CBT for…

Background: Dog-assisted therapy (DAT) is hypothesized to help children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Down syndrome (DS). Methods: The present authors compared synchronous movement patterns of these children (n = 10) and their therapy dogs during the first and last session of a DAT programme, and their post-therapy changes in emotional…

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience obsessions and compulsions similar to those specified in "DSM-5" for obsessive compulsive disorder yet little controlled research exists on treating these behaviours. Thirty-seven children (7-13 years old) were randomly assigned to a 9-week functional behavior-based cognitive…

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder affecting approximately 1 in 59 children (Baio et al. "MMWR Surveillance Summaries," "67"(6), 1, 2018). A commonly experienced psychiatric comorbidity in ASD is anxiety. Although this is known, little research has been done on the specific issues concerning…

Selective mutism (SM) is a rare anxiety disorder that impairs children's daily functioning, often during critical periods of early development. Given that schools are a common setting for mutism, it is vital that school-based practitioners are knowledgeable of recent advances in the SM treatment literature. Unfortunately, the literature base is…

Purpose: The importance of early intervention for fostering language in children with hearing loss has been well documented; those that facilitate parent engagement are particularly effective. Listening and spoken language outcomes among children with hearing loss continue to fall short compared to hearing peers, despite improvements in hearing…

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) remains the only evidenced-based psychosocial treatment for pediatric anxiety. Adoption of CBT in community settings has been slow, and data on CBT use in schools specifically are limited. This study examined: (1) school-based clinicians' perceptions of their treatment approach for pediatric anxiety disorders,…

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) remains the only evidenced-based psychosocial treatment for pediatric anxiety. Adoption of CBT in community settings has been slow, and data on CBT use in schools specifically are limited. This study examined: (1) school-based clinicians' perceptions of their treatment approach for pediatric anxiety disorders,…

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobiological disorder. Common symptoms are inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and executive functions deficit, often with comorbidities. Main treatment involves pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies (cognitive-behavioral therapy, psycho-pedagogical programs). Emerging…