2024
Responding to threat: Associations between neural reactivity to and behavioral avoidance of threat in pediatric anxiety
Kitt E, Zacharek S, Odriozola P, Nardini C, Hommel G, Martino A, Anderson T, Spencer H, Broussard A, Dean J, Marin C, Silverman W, Lebowitz E, Gee D. Responding to threat: Associations between neural reactivity to and behavioral avoidance of threat in pediatric anxiety. Journal Of Affective Disorders 2024, 351: 818-826. PMID: 38290579, PMCID: PMC10981528, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.204.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsReactivity to threatMeasures of avoidanceVentral anterior insulaClinician-based measuresNeural reactivityPediatric anxietyAnxiety disordersBehavioral avoidanceFunctional magnetic resonance imaging taskAmygdala functional connectivityVentromedial prefrontal cortexTreatment-seeking sampleAvoidance of threatClinically significant constructsAssociated with tasksGeneralizability of findingsPrefrontal cortexAnterior insulaNeural findingsLaboratory tasksFunctional connectivityAnxietyAmygdalaAvoidanceSignificant constructs
2023
Assessing Anxiety-Related Impairment in Children and Adolescents
Etkin R, Lebowitz E, Silverman W. Assessing Anxiety-Related Impairment in Children and Adolescents. Assessment 2023, 31: 94-109. PMID: 37840296, DOI: 10.1177/10731911231194972.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDoes Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Youth Anxiety Disorders Improve Social Functioning and Peer Relationships?
Etkin R, Juel E, Lebowitz E, Silverman W. Does Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Youth Anxiety Disorders Improve Social Functioning and Peer Relationships? Clinical Child And Family Psychology Review 2023, 26: 1052-1076. PMID: 37838627, DOI: 10.1007/s10567-023-00454-3.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsConceptsCognitive behavioral therapyAdolescent anxiety disordersPeer relationshipsSocial functioningAnxiety disordersYouth anxiety disordersPeer outcomesAnxiety reductionTreatment-specific effectsFunctioningTreatment specificitySystematic narrative reviewRelated difficultiesSample characteristicsMajority of studiesSpecific outcomesChildrenTreatment outcomesStatistical findingsStudy sampleDisordersNarrative reviewFindingsRelationshipAnxietyAffective Language Spreads Between Anxious Children and Their Mothers During a Challenging Puzzle Task
Nook E, Nardini C, Zacharek S, Hommel G, Spencer H, Martino A, Morra A, Flores S, Anderson T, Marin C, Silverman W, Lebowitz E, Gee D. Affective Language Spreads Between Anxious Children and Their Mothers During a Challenging Puzzle Task. Emotion 2023, 23: 1513-1521. PMID: 36595385, PMCID: PMC10314965, DOI: 10.1037/emo0001203.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNegative affect wordsChallenging puzzle taskAffect wordsAffective languagePuzzle taskEffective emotion regulationSpread of emotionsEmotion regulationNeuroscientific levelAnxious childrenEmotional influencesWord useBidirectional influenceAnxiety disordersBidirectional relationsMother's directionsMental healthEmotionsFuture researchWordsCurrent studyLanguageChildrenTaskMothersParent Accommodation Contemporaneously Mediates the Association Between Youth Irritability and Youth Anxiety Treatment Outcome
Cabrera V, Buitron V, Patriarca G, Rey Y, Lebowitz E, Silverman W, Pettit J. Parent Accommodation Contemporaneously Mediates the Association Between Youth Irritability and Youth Anxiety Treatment Outcome. Behavior Therapy 2023, 54: 852-862. PMID: 37597962, PMCID: PMC10440415, DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2023.03.002.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsYouth anxiety severityParent accommodationCognitive-behavioral treatmentYouth irritabilityAnxiety treatment outcomesAnxiety severityChild anxietyPrimary anxiety disorder diagnosisAnxiety disorder diagnosisAnxious youthYouth anxietyYouth ages 6Adolescent irritabilityAnxiety outcomesBehavioral treatmentAnxiety protocolAnxietyGreater impairmentDisorder diagnosisAge 6Treatment outcomesFuture researchPosttreatmentIrritabilityResearch documentsThe Therapy Process Observational Coding System: Group cohesion scale in youth anxiety treatment: Psychometric properties
Fjermestad K, McLeod B, Silverman W, Bjaastad J, Lerner M, Wergeland G. The Therapy Process Observational Coding System: Group cohesion scale in youth anxiety treatment: Psychometric properties. Journal Of Clinical Psychology 2023, 79: 1726-1739. PMID: 36799300, DOI: 10.1002/jclp.23496.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMaternal FGF2 levels associated with child anxiety and depression symptoms through child FGF2 levels
Lebowitz E, Marin C, Orbach M, Salmaso N, Vaccarino F, Silverman W. Maternal FGF2 levels associated with child anxiety and depression symptoms through child FGF2 levels. Journal Of Affective Disorders 2023, 326: 193-197. PMID: 36717031, PMCID: PMC10104478, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.01.090.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFGF2 levelsDepressive symptomsDepression symptomsChild anxietySymptoms of anxietyRatings of anxietyGrowth factor 2Maternal anxietySymptomsDepressed childrenDepressionChild depressionMothersChildrenFactor 2Self-report ratingsAnxietyIntergenerational pathwaysNon-referred childrenRange of anxietyFGF2AssociationLevelsMaternal
2022
Mitigating Multiple Sources of Bias in a Quasi-Experimental Integrative Data Analysis: Does Treating Childhood Anxiety Prevent Substance Use Disorders in Late Adolescence/Young Adulthood?
Saavedra LM, Morgan-López AA, West SG, Alegría M, Silverman WK. Mitigating Multiple Sources of Bias in a Quasi-Experimental Integrative Data Analysis: Does Treating Childhood Anxiety Prevent Substance Use Disorders in Late Adolescence/Young Adulthood? Prevention Science 2022, 24: 1622-1635. PMID: 36057023, DOI: 10.1007/s11121-022-01422-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsStudy-related treatmentYoung adulthoodPropensity scoreLong-term followDrug use disordersAdolescence/young adulthoodQuasi-experimental designLate adolescence/young adulthoodClinical trialsSubstance use disorder severityLong-term effectsChild anxiety disordersEpidemiological studiesIntegrative data analysisAnxiety disorder treatmentUse disordersDisorder treatmentAnxiety disordersControl participantsEpidemiological sampleClinical samplesDisorder severityTrialsLong-term assessmentDisordersAge and depressive symptoms change predict the 4‐year self‐concept trajectory for youth after anxiety treatment
Fjermestad KW, Bellika K, Matre C, Silverman WK, Wergeland GJ. Age and depressive symptoms change predict the 4‐year self‐concept trajectory for youth after anxiety treatment. Journal Of Clinical Psychology 2022, 78: 2109-2121. PMID: 35975330, PMCID: PMC9804830, DOI: 10.1002/jclp.23427.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAttention Training as a Low-Intensity Treatment for Concerning Anxiety in Clinic-Referred Youth
Pettit J, Rey Y, Marin C, Bechor M, Lebowitz E, Vasey M, Jaccard J, Abend R, Pine D, Bar-Haim Y, Silverman W. Attention Training as a Low-Intensity Treatment for Concerning Anxiety in Clinic-Referred Youth. Behavior Therapy 2022, 54: 77-90. PMID: 36608979, PMCID: PMC9825787, DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2022.07.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAttention Bias Modification TreatmentAttention control trainingAttention trainingAnxiety severityAttention controlAnxiety levelsAttention biasNeutral facesLow-intensity treatmentGlobal impairmentDot-probe taskYouth anxiety severityClinic-Referred YouthFull criteriaAttention focusingControl trainingTreatment researchYouthIndependent evaluatorsTrainingImpairment ratingsACT trialsPosttreatmentSeverity ratingsRatingsYouth social functioning interacts with treatment arm, diagnosis, and gender to predict anxiety treatment outcome
Etkin RG, Marin CE, Silverman WK, Lebowitz ER. Youth social functioning interacts with treatment arm, diagnosis, and gender to predict anxiety treatment outcome. Behaviour Research And Therapy 2022, 156: 104160. PMID: 35870327, DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2022.104160.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAnxiety treatment outcomesYouth social functioningSocial skillsPositive social interactionsSocial functioningAnxiety diagnosesAnxiety disordersSocial interactionParent-based treatmentChildren's social skillsSocial anxiety disorderYouths' social skillsAnxiety symptom severityYouth genderTreatment outcomesDiagnostic InterviewSymptom severityClinical functioningFunctioningSkillsYouthPredictorsMultiple regression modelDisordersGenderThe role of attentional shifting in the relation between error monitoring and anxiety in youth
Ramos ML, Bechor M, Casas A, Pettit JW, Silverman WK, Reeb-Sutherland BC. The role of attentional shifting in the relation between error monitoring and anxiety in youth. Psychiatry Research Neuroimaging 2022, 324: 111507. PMID: 35675720, PMCID: PMC9730549, DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2022.111507.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsError-related negativityAttentional controlERN amplitudeNeural responsesMaintenance of anxietyLarger neural responsesSelf-report measuresSmaller neural responseAttentional shiftingFlanker taskError monitoringThreat signalsAnxiety symptomsNeural markersAnxietyYouthSimultaneous EEGResponse magnitudeAttentionNegativityAbilityHigh abilityTaskLow levelsEEGSociodemographic and clinical characteristics of youths and parents seeking psychological treatment for school attendance problems
Johnsen DB, Lomholt JJ, Heyne D, Jeppesen P, Jensen MB, Silverman WK, Thastum M. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of youths and parents seeking psychological treatment for school attendance problems. PLOS ONE 2022, 17: e0261449. PMID: 35081106, PMCID: PMC8791456, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261449.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMental health problemsSchool attendance problemsPsychological treatmentHelp-seeking youthHealth problemsAttendance problemsClinical characteristicsBehavioral difficultiesCross-sectional designNegative outcomesOlder youthYouthEarly interventionClinical levelParentsTreatment startBaseline assessmentSchool absenceSociodemographic characteristicsTreatmentAnxietyHigh levelsLow levelsDepressionAbsenceShort report: COVID-19-related anxiety is associated with mental health problems among adults with rare disorders
Fjermestad KW, Orm S, Silverman WK, Cogo-Moreira H. Short report: COVID-19-related anxiety is associated with mental health problems among adults with rare disorders. Research In Developmental Disabilities 2022, 123: 104181. PMID: 35114595, PMCID: PMC8789552, DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104181.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAnxiety and Social Functioning: The Moderating Roles of Family Accommodation and Youth Characteristics
Etkin RG, Silverman WK, Lebowitz ER. Anxiety and Social Functioning: The Moderating Roles of Family Accommodation and Youth Characteristics. Research On Child And Adolescent Psychopathology 2022, 50: 781-794. PMID: 34997402, DOI: 10.1007/s10802-021-00884-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsYouth anxiety severityFamily accommodationAnxiety severitySocial functioningYouth anxietyAnxiety disordersSocial anxiety disorder diagnosisYouth ageSocial functioning difficultiesSocial anxiety disorderYouth social functioningAnxiety disorder diagnosisHierarchical linear regressionSocial functioning variablesAnxious youthTypes of difficultiesSocial impairmentFunctioning variablesPotential moderatorsModerating RoleIntervention effortsExtent of identificationFuture research directionsDepression symptomsAnxiety
2021
Directional effects of parent and child anxiety 1 year following treatment of child anxiety, and the mediational role of parent psychological control
Silverman WK, Marin CE, Rey Y, Jaccard J, Pettit JW. Directional effects of parent and child anxiety 1 year following treatment of child anxiety, and the mediational role of parent psychological control. Depression And Anxiety 2021, 38: 1289-1297. PMID: 34464490, PMCID: PMC8664994, DOI: 10.1002/da.23210.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsParents’ psychological controlPsychological controlChild anxietyCognitive behavioral therapyParent anxietyIndividual cognitive behavioral therapyChild's ageAnxiety 1 yearTreatment targetsMediational roleEvidence of childrenBehavioral therapyRecent efficacy trialsParent involvementAnxietyPosttreatmentDirectional effectsParentsClinical implicationsCBT armEvidence of parentChildrenTreatment effectsModeratorEfficacy trialsAttending to the Attentional Control Scale for Children: Confirming its factor structure and measurement invariance
van Son D, Marin CE, Boutris P, Rey Y, Lebowitz ER, Pettit JW, Silverman WK. Attending to the Attentional Control Scale for Children: Confirming its factor structure and measurement invariance. Journal Of Anxiety Disorders 2021, 80: 102399. PMID: 33892347, PMCID: PMC8141040, DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2021.102399.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAttentional Control ScaleTwo-factor modelAttentional controlControl ScaleSelf-report questionnairesTwo-factor structureStrong factorial invarianceConfirmatory factor analysisModel fitAnxious youthAttentional focusingSingle-factor modelFuture research implicationsGood model fitTwo-factorMeasurement invarianceFactorial invariancePartial invarianceFactor structureDiverse sampleConcurrent validityResearch implicationsSubscale scoresPrevious researchFactor analysisUsing Evaluative Criteria to Review Youth Anxiety Measures, Part II: Parent-Report
Etkin RG, Lebowitz ER, Silverman WK. Using Evaluative Criteria to Review Youth Anxiety Measures, Part II: Parent-Report. Journal Of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology 2021, 50: 155-176. PMID: 33739908, PMCID: PMC8025201, DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2021.1878898.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsYouth Anxiety MeasureParent-report measuresAnxiety ScaleAnxiety measuresYouth self-report measuresSpence Children's Anxiety ScaleYouth anxiety symptomsPsychometric propertiesAnxiety symptom measuresMultidimensional Anxiety ScaleChildren's Anxiety ScaleSelf-report measuresExcellent psychometric propertiesChild anxietyYouth SelfParent reportEmotional disordersAnxiety symptomsEvidence baseSymptom measuresEvidence-based updateAdditional researchMeasuresEvaluative criteriaAnxietyEffectiveness of Transdiagnostic Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy Compared With Management as Usual for Youth With Common Mental Health Problems
Jeppesen P, Wolf RT, Nielsen SM, Christensen R, Plessen KJ, Bilenberg N, Thomsen PH, Thastum M, Neumer SP, Puggaard LB, Pedersen M, Pagsberg AK, Silverman WK, Correll CU. Effectiveness of Transdiagnostic Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy Compared With Management as Usual for Youth With Common Mental Health Problems. JAMA Psychiatry 2021, 78: 250-260. PMID: 33355633, PMCID: PMC7758821, DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.4045.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMental health problemsCommon mental health problemsHealth problemsMAU groupSecondary outcomesWeek 26Clinical trialsWeek 18Depressive symptomsPrimary outcome dataMain inclusion criteriaNumber of respondersMental health careBehavioral problemsHelp-seeking youthCognitive behavioral therapy programParent-reported changesTreat populationUsual carePrimary outcomeManualized CBTCognitive-behavioral psychotherapyInclusion criteriaMAIN OUTCOMEBehavioral disturbancesModerators of response to child‐based and parent‐based child anxiety treatment: a machine learning‐based analysis
Lebowitz ER, Zilcha‐Mano S, Orbach M, Shimshoni Y, Silverman WK. Moderators of response to child‐based and parent‐based child anxiety treatment: a machine learning‐based analysis. Journal Of Child Psychology And Psychiatry 2021, 62: 1175-1182. PMID: 33624848, DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13386.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsModerators of responseParent negativityChild anxiety treatmentOxytocin levelsBaseline anxietyCognitive behavioral therapyPrimary anxiety disorderChild-reported outcomesParent-reported outcomesChildhood anxietyAnxiety treatmentAnxiety symptomsPotential moderatorsAnxiety disordersTreatment conditionsModeratorMachine learning-based analysisAnxietyNegativitySignificant interactionChildrenNonoptimal treatmentTreatment efficacyParentingSocioemotional