The potential of parent-focused interventions for child anxiety has been suggested in both prevention and treatment, but much remains unknown about their actual merit. The current project will investigate optimal combinations of parent-intervention components to reduce children’s anxiety. Parent interventions are often studied as a ‘package’, consisting of multiple components. Knowledge on which components are associated with better effects is crucial to understand why some interventions are more effective. Additionally, it will test the hypothesis that families benefit more from therapy components targeting risk factors that, for them personally, are more relevant, malleable, and acceptable. Findings on the effectiveness of specific intervention components can guide intervention development, and contribute to our understanding of the role of parents in children’s anxiety.

This study is part of the NWO VIDI project ‘Risk Factors for Mental Health Problems as (un)Suitable Intervention Targets’, awarded to Patty Leijten.

Elske Salemink (UU)| Supervisor