Abstract
Introduction: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents has shown efficacy in treating different psychiatric disorders. It has been added to multiple clinical guidelines as the first-line treatment. However, despite more studies of its efficacy, CBT is underutilized in clinical settings due to a lack of rigorous training programs and qualified CBT therapists. The limited knowledge of parents in this intervention and their negative attitudes toward it have been considered as possible reasons.Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey-based study among 464 Saudi parents living in Riyadh city. We aimed to evaluate the preference, knowledge, and attitudes of Saudi parents toward CBT for their children. We compared the difference in the level of knowledge and attitudes toward CBT in relation to the characteristics of parents. An online questionnaire that included 39 questions was carefully reconstructed from four validated scales, approved by an expert panel, and piloted. Participants were recruited to participate through online social media.Results: Saudi parents had average knowledge about CBT; however, they had positive attitudes toward the therapy itself and its role in treating the behavioral issues of children. Male participants showed better knowledge than female participants. Participants with higher education and those with high income had more favorable attitudes toward CBT than others.Conclusion: The knowledge of parents is considered inadequate and indicated the need for more awareness and perhaps mass education. In contrast, they maintained positive attitudes and were interested in evidence-based treatment, with more preference toward non-psychopharmacological interventions.
Highlights
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents has shown efficacy in treating different psychiatric disorders
In anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), CBT appears to be as effective as medication and has positive results in the tolerance of parents and children for stress related to OCD (James et al, 2013; Selles et al, 2018; Uhre et al, 2020)
Noncitizens, parents who work in the mental health field, and individuals with previous experience with CBT were all excluded, as we assume those will not reflect the actual knowledge of the general population
Summary
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents has shown efficacy in treating different psychiatric disorders. It has been mounting evidence from different treatment guidelines to be a first-line treatment recommendation for children and youth with many mental illnesses. In anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), CBT appears to be as effective as medication and has positive results in the tolerance of parents and children for stress related to OCD (James et al, 2013; Selles et al, 2018; Uhre et al, 2020). CBT has benefits in anxiety and depression symptoms within attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, as well as the symptoms of the disorder itself, primarily through behavioral intervention (Goode et al, 2018; Lambez et al, 2020)
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