Jacquelyn N. Raftery-Helmer

Background/Objectives: Incorporating parent training into cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxious youth has not been shown to significantly improve outcomes perhaps because these interventions have not addressed potential interfering psychological barriers to implementing parenting changes and rarely offer between-session support. There is growing evidence that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can target these psychological barriers and generate more flexible and adaptive behavioral repertoires in parents of children with a variety of presenting challenges. Methods: Following a pilot trial of “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Parents of Anxious Children (ACT-PAC)” a six-week group-based intervention focused on targeting psychological barriers to parenting change using mindfulness and acceptance approaches, we collected qualitative feedback from participants in two post-treatment phases by conducting individual interviews and a focus group with participants that completed the intervention. Results: Analysis of interview responses revealed that parents found ACT principles and processes to be helpful, and many also appreciated the ACT-PAC group setting that allowed parents to recognize their experiences were shared by others and to self-disclose in a non-judgmental space. Feedback from the focus group further provides preliminary evidence that ACT-PAC is acceptable to and feasible for parent participants and suggests modifications such as involving additional caregivers, making resources more readily available, and creative structural changes that may facilitate between-session practice. Conclusions: Results suggest that the group-based intervention can be both maintained and improved for future participants. Limitations to generalizability in light of possible selection bias and the small focus group sample size are addressed.

Introduction: Anxiety disorders are common, distressing, and impairing for children and families. Cognitive-behavioral interventions targeting the role of family interactions in child anxiety treatment may be limited by lack of attention to antecedents to parental control; specifically, internal parent factors such as experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion. This pilot study evaluates the preliminary efficacy of a group-delivered caregiver treatment program, ACT for Parents of Anxious Children (ACT-PAC) that targets parental experiential avoidance, cognitive fusion, and child internalizing symptoms.Methods: Twenty-three youth ages 7–17 years with a primary anxiety disorder diagnosis and their primary caregiver participated in six one-hour, weekly group treatment sessions. Parents and children reported on child symptomatology and parents reported on parent symptomatology and quality of life at two assessment points: within one week before ACT-PAC treatment and within one week after treatment. Parents self-reported on parental internal processes specifically targeted by ACT (e.g., cognitive fusion) weekly during the 6-week treatment.Results: Results support the feasibility and acceptability of ACT-PAC and indicate reductions in parents' cognitive fusion and child internalizing symptoms.