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An Attachment-Based Family Therapy for Anxiety and Depression in Children: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of BEST-Foundations
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

An Attachment-Based Family Therapy for Anxiety and Depression in Children: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of BEST-Foundations

Kim Lee Kho, Andrew J. Lewis and Renita A. Almeida
Children (Basel), Vol.11(12), 1552
2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/children11121552
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CC BY V4.0,  Open Access

Abstract

attachment attachment-based family intervention family therapy attachment-based intervention internalising symptoms childhood depressive symptoms childhood anxiety
Background/Objectives: Parent–child attachment and family relationships have been identified as risk factors for childhood internalising symptoms such as anxiety and depressive symptoms. This mixed-methods evaluation examined the feasibility of a recently developed attachment-based family intervention, Behaviour Exchange Systems Therapy-Foundations (BEST-F), delivering 16 h of therapy over 8 weeks to treat internalising symptoms in children aged between 3 and 11 years. Methods: The quantitative outcomes of this uncontrolled study of 17 families were based on the parent-reported Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) measure, completed at four-timepoints (baseline, pre-, post-intervention, and follow-up), while qualitative data were collected from interviews with participants at follow-up. Results: Pre- and post-BEST-F intervention results demonstrated a significant change in internalising symptoms from the borderline and clinical range to the normal range, with a large effect size (d = 0.85). Notably, additional reductions in internalising symptoms were reported two months after cessation of treatment, with a very large effect size (d = 1.85). Furthermore, there were substantial reductions in child externalising symptoms and parental mental health symptoms, with large effect sizes ranging from d = 0.80 to 1.12. Qualitative reports were consistent with these quantitative findings. Conclusions: These pilot results suggest that children presenting with clinical-range internalising symptoms may benefit from family-based approaches where the parent–child relationship is a focus.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Citation topics
6 Social Sciences
6.24 Psychiatry & Psychology
6.24.15 Parenting and Child Development
Web Of Science research areas
Pediatrics
ESI research areas
Clinical Medicine
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