Changes in Emotion Regulation Following Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxious Youth

Abstract

This study examined emotion-related functioning following cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with 37 youth with anxiety disorders (22 boys, 15 girls) ranging in age from 7 to 15 with a principal diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (n = 27), separation anxiety disorder (n = 12), and/or social phobia (n = 13). Treated youth exhibited a reduction in anxiety and increased anxiety self-efficacy and emotional awareness at posttreatment. Treated youth also demonstrated improved coping and less emotional dysregulation with worry but not with anger or sadness. The results suggest that the gains made in worry regulation do not generalize to other emotions that are not specifically targeted within the CBT protocol.