Wendy Silverman, PhD, ABPP
Alfred A. Messer Professor in the Child Study Center and Professor of PsychologyCards
About
Research
Publications
2024
Parent Psychological Control and Youth Social Anxiety: Examining Attention Control and its Components as Moderators
Falcone M, Rey Y, Chong L, Marin C, Lebowitz E, Silverman W, Pettit J. Parent Psychological Control and Youth Social Anxiety: Examining Attention Control and its Components as Moderators. Cognitive Therapy And Research 2024, 1-9. DOI: 10.1007/s10608-024-10538-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchParental psychological controlYouth social anxietySocial anxietyPsychological controlAttentional controlAnxiety disorders specialty clinicHigh social anxietyTreatment developmentAnxietyClinical implicationsYouth attentionSpecialty clinicsYouthParentsModeratelyQuestionnaire dataEmpirical researchAttentionAssociationMethodsParticipantsControlImplicationsPilot study of a parent-based intervention for functional somatic symptoms in children
Etkin R, Winograd S, Calhoun A, Silverman W, Lebowitz E, Shapiro E. Pilot study of a parent-based intervention for functional somatic symptoms in children. Journal Of Pediatric Psychology 2024, jsae092. PMID: 39468777, DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsae092.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFunctional somatic symptomsParent-based interventionsSomatic symptomsLevels of functional impairmentWeekly group sessionsPilot studyAssociated with significant distressEvidence-based treatmentsBaseline to posttreatmentGroup sessionsSignificant distressClinical outcomesChildren's symptomsPromote better functioningTreatment satisfactionInterventionBetter functionChild's levelChild careFunctional impairmentClinical researchFollow-upChildrenSymptomsParentsFuture Directions in Clinical Trials and Intention-To-Treat Analysis: Fulfilling Admirable Intentions Through the Right Questions
Silverman W, Pettit J, Jaccard J. Future Directions in Clinical Trials and Intention-To-Treat Analysis: Fulfilling Admirable Intentions Through the Right Questions. Journal Of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology 2024, 53: 840-848. PMID: 39110873, DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2024.2384035.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGroup cohesion and alliance predict cognitive-behavioral group treatment outcomes for youth with anxiety disorders
Fjermestad K, Wallin M, Naujokat F, McLeod B, Silverman W, Öst L, Lerner M, Heiervang E, Wergeland G. Group cohesion and alliance predict cognitive-behavioral group treatment outcomes for youth with anxiety disorders. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy 2024, 54: 96-114. PMID: 39105346, DOI: 10.1080/16506073.2024.2385906.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGroup cognitive behavioral therapyAnxiety disordersAnxiety symptomsDiagnostic recoveryParent-reported anxiety symptomsGroup cohesionCognitive behavioral therapyRandomized controlled effectiveness trialBehavioral therapyAlliance changeParent-reported outcomesEffectiveness trialClinical severityTreatment outcomesAnxietyPost-treatmentDisordersAllianceSymptomsYouthFollow-upGeneralized estimating equationsSeveritySessionsOutcomesAnxiety Symptom Trajectories Predict Depression Symptom Trajectories up to Four Years After CBT for Youth Anxiety Disorders
Fjermestad K, Norum F, Brask H, Kodal A, Silverman W, Heiervang E, Wergeland G. Anxiety Symptom Trajectories Predict Depression Symptom Trajectories up to Four Years After CBT for Youth Anxiety Disorders. Research On Child And Adolescent Psychopathology 2024, 52: 1503-1513. PMID: 38878114, PMCID: PMC11461661, DOI: 10.1007/s10802-024-01214-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCognitive behavioral therapyYouth anxiety disordersAnxiety symptom trajectoriesDepressive symptom trajectoriesDepressive symptomsSymptom trajectoriesParental mental healthAnxiety disordersAnxiety diagnosesMental healthDepression trajectoriesPost-cognitive behavioral therapyAssociated with less depressive symptomsSelf-reported depression levelsAnxiety symptom improvementDepression levelsParent-reported anxietyExamined depressive symptomsLess depressive symptomsGrowth curve modelsSelf-reported mental healthAssessment periodBehavioral therapyAnxiety trajectoriesDiagnostic recoveryPatterns of sub‐optimal change following CBT for childhood anxiety
Bertie L, Arendt K, Coleman J, Cooper P, Creswell C, Eley T, Hartman C, Heiervang E, In‐Albon T, Krause K, Lester K, Marin C, Nauta M, Rapee R, Schneider S, Schniering C, Silverman W, Thastum M, Thirlwall K, Waite P, Wergeland G, Hudson J. Patterns of sub‐optimal change following CBT for childhood anxiety. Journal Of Child Psychology And Psychiatry 2024, 65: 1612-1623. PMID: 38817012, PMCID: PMC11563922, DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.14009.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCognitive behavioral therapyAnxiety disordersAnxiety diagnosesGrowth curve modelsMinimal respondersGroup cognitive behavioral therapyPatterns of symptom changeCurve modelClinically anxious youthSocial anxiety disorderAssociated with significantly less improvementResponse patternsAssess patterns of changeAnxious youthDisorder remissionChildhood anxietyMaternal psychopathologyBehavioral therapyDisorder severityDiagnostic statusSymptom changePre-and post-treatmentDelayed respondersAnxietyParental factorsPreliminary Randomized Controlled Trial of the Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions Intervention for Highly Dependent Adult Children
Berger U, Silverman W, Lebowitz E. Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial of the Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions Intervention for Highly Dependent Adult Children. Emerging Adulthood 2024, 12: 807-819. DOI: 10.1177/21676968241252851.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFamily accommodationSymptom severitySupportive parentingAnxious Childhood EmotionsDepressive symptom severityParents of adultsParental burdenParent-based interventionsIntellectual disabilityChild anxietyChildhood emotionalRandomized controlled trialsAdult ChildrenEmotional interventionAnxietyTrial completionTreatment satisfactionPost-treatmentCost-of-illnessWaitlistParentsSymptomsAdultsSatisfaction scoresControlled trialsFamily Accommodation and Separation Anxiety: The Moderating Role of Child Attachment
Weeks G, Sakmar E, Clark T, Rose A, Silverman W, Lebowitz E. Family Accommodation and Separation Anxiety: The Moderating Role of Child Attachment. Child Psychiatry & Human Development 2024, 1-10. PMID: 38755332, DOI: 10.1007/s10578-024-01705-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSeparation anxiety symptomsFamily accommodationAnxiety symptomsAttachment securitySeparation anxietyLevels of attachment securitySeverity of anxiety symptomsAssociated with separation anxietyNo significant moderating effectsClinically anxious childrenAnxiety-related distressHigher attachment securityChild attachment securityFindings enhance understandingAnxious childrenSignificant moderating effectChild anxietyChild attachmentParenting behaviorsAnxietyModerating roleModerating effectSymptomsChildrenAttachmentAttention Training for Child Anxiety and Its Disorders: Moving from Research to Clinical Implementation
Falcone M, Bar-Haim Y, Lebowitz E, Silverman W, Pettit J. Attention Training for Child Anxiety and Its Disorders: Moving from Research to Clinical Implementation. Clinical Child And Family Psychology Review 2024, 27: 550-560. PMID: 38740658, DOI: 10.1007/s10567-024-00482-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAttention trainingAnxiety reduction effectCognitive neuroscienceChild anxietyComputerized treatmentDelivery of sessionsAnxietyClinical practice settingDisordersEvidence-basedChildrenClinical trial dataPsychoeducationPractice settingsClinical practiceAttentionIncrease accessNeuroscienceTrainingClinical stepsSessionsTrial dataClinical implementationResearchExperimental researchThe Effectiveness of Modular Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Versus Treatment as Usual for Youths Displaying School Attendance Problems: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Johnsen D, Lomholt J, Heyne D, Jensen M, Jeppesen P, Silverman W, Thastum M. The Effectiveness of Modular Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Versus Treatment as Usual for Youths Displaying School Attendance Problems: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Research On Child And Adolescent Psychopathology 2024, 52: 1397-1412. PMID: 38739306, PMCID: PMC11420258, DOI: 10.1007/s10802-024-01196-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCognitive behavioral therapyTransdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapySchool attendance problemsRandomized controlled trialsSelf-efficacyMonths of cognitive behavioral therapyMental healthYouth self-efficacyParental self-efficacyEvidence-based interventionsWithin-group improvementsBehavioral therapyHours of interventionSchool refusalSchool attendanceAssociated with negative short-Emotional problemsConduct problemsSchool involvementIntervention servicesIntervention effectsEffective interventionsControlled trialsAged 6Youth
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Reducing Suicide Risk in Adolescents and Young Adults with Bipolar Disorder and Depression via a Psychobehavioral Intervention
HIC ID2000032361RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date03/31/2025Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge16 years - 29 yearsComparing F4C to Batterer Intervention
HIC ID2000026789RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date08/01/2022Recruiting ParticipantsGenderMaleAge18+ yearsTeen Binge Eating Study
HIC ID2000024926RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date02/28/2020Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge13 years - 17 yearsA Short-Term Longitudinal Study of the Brain Mechanisms of Childhood Irritability
HIC ID2000025557REGRoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date05/14/2024Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge8 years - 15 yearsCBT for Anxiety in Children With Autism
HIC ID1211011144RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/30/2020Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge8 years - 14 years
Clinical Care
Overview
Wendy Silverman, PhD, is a clinical psychologist at the Yale Child Study Center who treats children with anxiety and phobias. She specializes in differential diagnosis, a process of distinguishing a patient’s condition from others that have similar symptoms. She also specializes in developing and testing novel treatments to reduce anxiety and phobias.
During her decades-long career, Silverman has seen exciting improvements in treatments that help reduce a child’s anxiety.
“It’s satisfying to see how the results of my decades of research and others have led to new and improved treatments that have helped children and families manage the child’s anxiety,” Silverman says. “It is reassuring for patients and families to learn that their treatments are backed by strong evidence.”
Silverman is the director of the Yale Child Study Center Anxiety and Mood Disorders program.
Clinical Specialties
Fact Sheets
Childhood Stress and Anxiety
Learn More on Yale Medicine
News & Links
News
- June 07, 2023
Recognizing YCSC faculty & staff for long-term service at Yale
- October 18, 2022
Yale Endocrinology Obesity Medicine: Approaching Obesity as a Complex, Chronic Disease
- October 12, 2022Source: Newsweek
Forget Weed, Wine and Xanax: Science Has Better Ways to Treat Anxiety
- August 31, 2022Source: ADDitutde: Inside the ADHD mind
When Should We Worry About Childhood Anxiety Disorders?