Spence Children's Anxiety Scale Research Articles

The Application of Playing Therapy with Video Media on The Anxiety of Pre-School Age Children Due to Hospitalization in Regional Hospital dr. Soeratno Gemolong

Background: Hospitalization of preschool children is an emergency process, to be treated in a health facility. One of the impacts arising from hospitalization is in the form of anxiety, anxiety in children should not be underestimated, because it has the potential to hinder the child's health recovery process. It is especially important for managing anxiety in children undergoing hospitalization. Efforts that can be made on children's anxiety due to hospitalization can be overcome by playing therapy. Objective: The purpose of this study was the implementation of storytelling play therapy with video media on the level of anxiety due to hospitalization. Methods : Using a case study design, subjects to 2 preschool aged children (3-6 years) with inclusion and exclusion criteria, a measuring tool for anxiety using the SCAS anxiety scale (Spence Children's Anxiety Scale) to measure the respondent's anxiety level and the application of storytelling therapy with video media is given for approximately 10 minutes every day for 3 consecutive days. Results: Storytelling play therapy with video media in preschool-aged children (3-6 years) can reduce anxiety levels due to hospitalization. Conclusion: Storytelling therapy with video media has significant results in reducing anxiety in preschool-aged children who experience hospitalization.

Validity and reliability of the Japanese versions of the coronavirus anxiety scale for adolescents and obsession with COVID-19 scale for adolescents.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused mental health issues in both adults and adolescents. The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) and Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (OCS) questionnaires measure anxiety and persistent and disturbed thoughts (also known as obsessions) related to COVID-19. We developed Japanese versions of the CAS (i.e., CAS-JA) and OCS (i.e., OCS-JA) questionnaires to make them suitable for adolescents and validated the characteristics of these scales. Two online surveys were administered to high school students aged 15-18 years. A total of 263 students participated in the first survey and almost half of them participated in the second survey. In the first survey, participants responded to the CAS-JA, OCS-JA, generalized anxiety and obsessive-compulsive subscales of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS), and Kessler 6 Scale (K6). The SCAS and K6 were used to verify discriminant validity and inter-scale correlations. In the second survey, the participants completed the CAS-JA and OCS-JA again to verify test-retest reliability. We performed a confirmatory factor analysis and calculated the model fit indices. Additionally, we examined the internal consistency reliability, convergent validity, and inter-item correlations of the CAS-JA and OCS-JA. Moreover, differences in CAS-JA and OCS-JA responses by gender and region of residence (state of emergency and non-emergency areas) were examined. The results of the single-factor model confirmatory factor analysis of model fit indices were above the threshold. The required criteria for internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, and discriminant and convergent validity were met in both the CAS-JA and OCS-JA. No statistically significant differences attributed to residence and gender were found in both questionnaires. The results indicate that the CAS-JA and OCS-JA questionnaires are useful in measuring COVID-19-related anxiety, and persistent and disturbed thoughts in Japanese adolescents.

Sensory processing in Sotos syndrome and Tatton-Brown-Rahman Syndrome.

Sotos syndrome (Sotos) and Tatton-Brown-Rahman Syndrome (TBRS) are two of the most common overgrowth disorders associated with intellectual disability. Individuals with these syndromes tend to have similar cognitive profiles and high likelihood of autism symptomatology. However, whether and how sensory processing is affected is currently unknown. Parents/caregivers of 36 children with Sotos and 20 children with TBRS completed the Child Sensory Profile-2 (CSP-2) and the Sensory Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ) along with other standardized questionnaires assessing autistic traits (Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition, SRS-2), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits (Conners 3), anxiety (Spence Children's Anxiety Scale, Parent Version, SCAS-P), and adaptive behavior (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales Third Edition). Sensory processing differences were clearly evident in both syndromes, though there was significant variation in both cohorts. SBQ data indicated that both the frequency and impact of sensory behavior were more severe when compared to neurotypicals, with levels of sensory behavior impact and frequency being similar to autistic children. CSP-2 data indicated 77% of children with Sotos and 85% children with TBRS displayed clear differences in sensory Registration (missing sensory input). Clear differences relating to Body Position (proprioceptive response to joint and muscle position; 79% Sotos; 90% TBRS) and Touch (somatosensory response to touch on skin; 56% Sotos; 60% TBRS) were also particularly prevalent. Correlation analyses demonstrated that in both syndromes sensory processing differences tend to be associated with difficulties relating to autistic traits, anxiety, and some domains of ADHD. In Sotos, sensory processing differences were also associated with lower adaptive behavior skills. This first detailed assessment of sensory processing, alongside other clinical features, in relatively large cohorts of children with Sotos and TBRS, demonstrates that sensory processing differences have a profound impact on everyday life. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale: A 25-Year Systematic Review.

The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) is one of the most used instruments to assess anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents. Extensive research has been conducted to examine its psychometric properties and to develop other versions of the scale. The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties and factorial structure of the SCAS across different versions and populations. This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered. APA PsycINFO, Web of Science (Core Collection) and MEDLINE (PubMed) were searched. Fifty-two studies were included in this systematic review. They examined the factor structure, convergent and divergent validity, and internal consistency of the scale. The most supported model was the original six-factor model, followed by the higher order six-factor model for the long version of the SCAS. Studies provided evidence of convergent validity and internal consistency. It is concluded that the SCAS is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents, with a six-factor model structure well supported in most populations. Further research on the psychometric properties and factor structure of other versions of the scale and its application to clinical populations is warranted.

Body mass index variation in adults with Williams syndrome: associations with predicted dietary intake and food behaviors.

Dietary intake and body weight are important predictors of long-term health. However, few studies have focused on these topics in adults with genetic syndromes that have associated intellectual disability, such as Williams syndrome (WS). In adults with WS, describe predicted dietary intake, food-related problems, and associations between body mass index (BMI) and possible factors contributing to differences in weight status. In this study of 82 participants (median age of 30 years, range 18-69), we cross sectionally investigated associations between BMI, predicted dietary intakes (Dietary Screener Questionnaire), food-related behaviors (Food-Related Problem Questionnaire), and anxiety (Spence Children's Anxiety Scale). Longitudinal patterns of weight change were further studied in a subset (n = 41). BMI variation was observed with median BMI of 27.3 kg/m2 (range 16.7-55.5 kg/m2). Several components of dietary intake deviated from recommendations in the WS cohort. When compared with WS participants with either normal or overweight BMI, WS participants with obesity had reduced daily intake of fruits and vegetables of 0.15 cup equivalents (P = 0.049), while participants with underweight BMI had reduced daily intake of fruits and vegetables of 0.44 cup equivalents (P = 0.026) and additionally had reduced intake of dietary fiber of 2.12 grams per day (P = 0.019). A one-point increase in the 'preoccupation with food' sub-score was associated with a 0.57 unit increase in BMI (P = 0.16), while a one-point increase in the 'takes and stores food' sub-score was associated with a 0.72 unit increase in BMI. In the longitudinal weight subset, a weight gain group and a weight stable group were identified. The former was associated with increased 'takes and stores food' sub-score but not with dietary intakes. We observed considerable BMI variability. While few dietary intakes were associated with BMI, increased BMI and weight gain were associated with 'preoccupation with food' and with 'takes and stores food' behavior sub-scores.

Obstructive sleep apnea affects the psychological and behavioural development of children-a case-control study.

This study aims to investigate the effects of obstructive sleep apnea on paediatric psychological and behavioural abnormalities. A total of 1086 paediatric patients with obstructive sleep apnea and 728 sample snoring controls were enrolled in the study. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea underwent bilateral tonsillectomy plus adenoidectomy or adenoidectomy alone. Repeated Autism Behaviour Checklist, Spence Children's Anxiety Scale, and Children's Depression Inventory were performed to assess the autism symptoms, anxiety level and depressive symptoms before and after surgery. The score of Autism Behaviour Checklist in preschool children with obstructive sleep apnea was higher than that in control. In school children with obstructive sleep apnea, the score of Spence Children's Anxiety Scale was also higher. School children with obstructive sleep apnea with depressive symptoms were significantly higher than that in control. The scores of Autism Behaviour Checklist, Spence Children's Anxiety Scale, and Children's Depression Inventory in the obstructive sleep apnea group after surgery were significantly lower than that before surgery. Our study showed that the score of Spence Children's Anxiety Scale and Children's Depression Inventory had a close correlation with the illness course and hypoxia duration. The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale and Children's Depression Inventory scores are also closely associated with the Autism Behaviour Checklist score. These results suggest that obstructive sleep apnea may have a significant impact on autism symptoms, anxiety levels and depressive symptoms in children. We found that the longer the duration of the obstructive sleep apnea course and hypoxia, the greater the impact on anxiety level and depressive symptoms. The suspected autism symptoms, anxiety level and depressive symptoms in children with obstructive sleep apnea were also significantly correlated. Thus, early detection and timely treatment may often reverse the psychological and behavioural abnormalities caused by obstructive sleep apnea.

Emotion-focused skills training for parents with anxious children. A pilot study.

Anxiety disorders are common among children and adolescents. Effective treatments exist, but meta-analyses indicate that 40% of children continue to have significant symptoms posttreatment. Alternative therapeutic interventions are needed. Emotion-focused parental interventions have been found to be effective in targeting children's internalizing difficulties, but no research has examined remission. In this pilot trial, we examined whether Emotion Focused Skills Training (EFST) was associated with remission of diagnosis in children with anxiety. Nine 8-14-year-olds diagnosed with anxiety were recruited at a mental health clinic in Norway. Both parents of each child attended a 2-day EFST program followed by five 1-hour weekly sessions. Pre- and posttreatment diagnosis and severity were evaluated using a multiinformant approach using the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale and the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule. After treatment, 33% no longer met criteria for any anxiety diagnosis, 66% obtained remission from their primary anxiety diagnosis, and 89% from at least one.

Effects of psychosocial function in pediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Research on the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on psychosocial function in patients with pediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease (PIBD) is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the psychological status of patients with PIBD before and during the pandemic, and the relationship between mental health and disease activity. This study was a retrospective cohort study. Statistical analyses were performed to assess the relationship between demographic, clinical data and psychological data (questionnaires) of PIBD patients before and during the epidemic. The anxiety and depression emotional status of the guardians during the pandemic were evaluated. In the PIBD follow-up cohort, 42 patients(male 61.9%) were included. Female with PIBD had lower pediatric quality of life inventory(PedsQL) scores (P = 0.007) and higher spence children's anxiety scale(SCAS) scores (P = 0.038) than male. The pandemic did not have a substantial impact on PedsQL, pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI), SCAS, or children's depression inventory(CDI) in patients with PIBD. The self-rating anxiety scale(SAS) score, anxiety rate, self-rating depression scale(SDS) score, and depression rate of PIBD guardians were significantly higher than those of healthy controls (SAS, P = 0.008; SDS, P = 0.001). Female children with PIBD were more vulnerable to decreased QOL and increased anxiety than male children. The anxiety and depression status of PIBD guardians were significantly higher than those of healthy controls during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the COVID-19 pandemic did not significantly affect quality of life(QOL), sleep, anxiety, or depressive mood of patients with PIBD in our study.

Mathematics difficulties are related to mathematics anxiety in children with epilepsy: An online study

AimChildren with epilepsy have an increased risk of difficulties with mathematics. Research into the mathematics difficulties of children with epilepsy, however, is limited. This study sought to determine whether the mathematics difficulties of children with epilepsy are related to mathematics anxiety over and above other previously identified factors (reading difficulties, generalized anxiety, and working memory). MethodSeventy-nine parents of children with epilepsy and 72 parents of typically developing children completed online questionnaires on their child’s mathematics and reading difficulties (CLDQ; Colorado Learning Difficulties Questionnaire), mathematics anxiety (mAMAS; Modified Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale), general anxiety (SCAS; Spence Child Anxiety Scale), and working memory (BRIEF-2; Brief Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2nd Edition). Questionnaires also collected demographic information and epilepsy variables. ResultsChildren with epilepsy had higher scores on the CLDQ mathematics subscale (CLDQm) and the mAMAS compared to typically developing children. Younger age of epilepsy onset, higher seizure frequency, and a greater number of anti-seizure medications accounted for 20.4% of the variance on the CLDQm. The CLDQ reading subscale (CLDQr) justified an additional 14% of the variance on the CLDQm. Finally, the mAMAS explained 20.2% of the variance on the CLDQm, after controlling for epilepsy variables and CLDQr. In contrast, the BRIEF-2 and SCAS did not account for a significant amount of variance on the CLDQm. SignificanceMathematics anxiety is the most significant contributor to mathematics difficulties experienced by children with epilepsy. Difficulties with reading and epilepsy factors also have significant, albeit smaller contributions to mathematics difficulties in this clinical population. Given the multiplicity of factors contributing to mathematics difficulties, a comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment is needed.

What are the potential impacts of work-study conflict for adolescents’ mental health? Findings from a national Australian cohort study

ABSTRACT Around half of all Australian adolescents combine their final years of secondary education with a part-time job and this may be creating pressure that impacts their mental health. However, there is virtually no national population-based research investigating how work-study conflicts for young people might adversely affect mental health. This study used data from Wave 7 of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), including 996 adolescents (16–17 years, 44% males) who were working and studying concurrently in secondary school. The extent of work-study conflict was measured using a four-item scale. Depression and anxiety levels were assessed using the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ) and the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS). Associations were tested using Linear Regression, adjusting for a range of covariates (including psychosocial job quality and prior wave 6 depression/anxiety). Half of all students reported experiencing at least one indicator of work-study conflict. After adjusting for covariates (including prior depression/anxiety), work-study conflicts were significantly associated with greater depression (β = .33, p < 0.001) and anxiety (β = .26, p < 0.001). Many young Australians are having difficulties balancing their work and study commitments in their final secondary school years, and this is associated with greater depression and anxiety.

Comparing the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and parent-child interaction therapy on Parent-child interaction in children with separation anxiety disorder

Background and Aim: Anxiety disorders have significant negative effects on children's academic performance, relationships with peers, and family functioning. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and parent-child interaction therapy on Parent-child interaction in children with separation anxiety disorder. Methods: The current research was of the type of practical and quasi-experimental designs of pre-test-post-test and follow-up with a control group. The statistical population of this research included all children (girls and boys) suffering from separation anxiety disorder in Sari city in the first six months of 2021. The sample of this research includes 30 people who referred to Bamdad Counseling Center and Bavar Counseling Center who were selected using available sampling method and randomly divided into two experimental groups of cognitive-behavioral therapy and parent-child interaction therapy and the control group in the list. They waited. The data were obtained using the Strauss Parent-child interaction Questionnaire (1990), Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (1997). The data was analyzed using the method of analysis of variance with repeated measurements and SPSS-26 software. Results: The results showed that there is a significant difference between the two groups of cognitive-behavioral therapy and parent-child interaction therapy on Parent-child interaction in children with separation anxiety disorder (F=14.09; P&lt;0.001). And cognitive behavioral therapy had a greater effect than parent-child interaction therapy on Parent-child interaction in children with separation anxiety disorder (P&lt;0.001). Conclusion: Therefore, it can be concluded that cognitive behavioral therapy can be an effective intervention method to improve Parent-child interaction in children with separation anxiety disorder.

Comparing the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and parent-child interaction therapy on the anxiety and loneliness of children with separation anxiety disorder

Aim: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and parent-child interaction therapy on the anxiety and loneliness of children with separation anxiety disorder. Methods: The current research was of the type of practical and quasi-experimental designs of pre-test-post-test and follow-up with a control group. The statistical population of this research included all children (girls and boys) suffering from separation anxiety disorder in Sari city in the first six months of 2021. The sample of this research includes 30 people who referred to Bammad Counseling Center and Bawar Counseling Center who were selected using available sampling method and randomly divided into two experimental groups of cognitive-behavioral therapy and parent-child interaction therapy and the control group in the list. They waited. The data were obtained using the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (1997) and Asher et al.'s (1984) Loneliness Questionnaire. The data was analyzed using the method of analysis of variance with repeated measurements and SPSS-26 software. Results: The results showed that there is a significant difference between the two groups of cognitive-behavioral therapy and parent-child interaction therapy on anxiety and loneliness in children with separation anxiety disorder, and cognitive-behavioral therapy causes more changes in anxiety in children. He was diagnosed with separation anxiety disorder and this treatment is stronger than parent-child interaction therapy in this group of patients. However, according to the average indices and the effect size obtained in the treatment of parent-child interaction, it caused more changes in loneliness in children with separation anxiety disorder, and this treatment is stronger than cognitive-behavioral therapy in this group of children with separation anxiety disorder. It was separation anxiety disorder (P&lt;0.001). Conclusion: Therefore, it can be concluded that cognitive-behavioral treatment of anxiety in children with separation anxiety disorder and parent-child interaction therapy can be an effective intervention method to improve the loneliness of children with separation anxiety disorder.

Comparing Pregabalin and Sodium Valproate in Pediatric Migraine Prophylaxis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Migraine is a common disorder in children, and its prophylaxis with minimal side effects is momentous. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of Pregabalin and Sodium Valproate in preventing migraine attacks. Sixty-four children (aged 6-18) with migraines were recruited, as defined by Internation Headache Criteria (ICHD-III). They were randomly assigned to two groups: Sodium Valproate (n=32) and Pregabalin (n=32). The minimum dosage of drugs was prescribed in both groups. The patients were followed for four months. The parameters such as frequency, intensity, duration of migraine attacks, and the number of painkillers that the patients used monthly were recorded. The Spence Children's anxiety scale was also used to evaluate medications' effect on patients' anxiety levels. Two medications were equally effective in reducing the intensity and duration of attacks. Additionally, their effect on reducing the anxiety level of patients was equal. There was a significant difference between the effect of drugs on the frequency of migraine attacks at the end of the first and fourth months and the number of painkillers used at the end of the fourth month. The frequency of attacks was decreased by more than 50% in twenty-eight patients (90%) of Pregabalin recipients and twenty-one patients (84%) of Sodium Valproate recipients. Considering the better effect of Pregabalin in the reduction of frequency of migraine attacks and pain-reducing medications consumption, Pregabalin could be a proper substitute for Sodium Valproate for prophylactic migraine treatment in children.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Play Therapy and Resilience-Based Play Therapy on Anxiety in Children Aged 6 to 8 Undergoing Dental Treatment

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral play therapy and resilience-based play therapy on anxiety in children aged 6 to 8 undergoing dental treatment. Materials and Methods: The present study was a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and control group with a follow-up period. The study population included all children aged 6 to 8 who visited dental clinics in Isfahan in the first half of the year 2022, from which 45 children were selected through purposive sampling according to the entry criteria and randomly assigned to three equal groups of 15. Data collection was performed using the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale - Short Form (Ahlen et al., 2018). The cognitive-behavioral play therapy sessions were based on the protocol of Hall, Kaduson, and Schaefer (2002), and the resilience-based play therapy sessions were based on the protocol of Nick Nashan and colleagues (2019), conducted over 8 sessions (one session per week) each lasting 60 minutes for the experimental groups, but not for the control group. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and mixed ANOVA with SPSS-26 software. Findings: The results showed that therapeutic interventions (cognitive-behavioral and resilience-based play therapy) were significantly more effective than the control group in improving anxiety scores (P&lt;0.001) and emotional expressiveness (P&lt;0.001). Furthermore, the results indicated that cognitive-behavioral play therapy had a greater effect on reducing anxiety scores in children undergoing dental treatment compared to resilience-based play therapy (P&lt;0.05). Conclusion: These findings further highlight the role of play therapy in children undergoing dental treatment and the necessity of utilizing therapeutic approaches derived from the cognitive-behavioral approach to moderate these children's symptoms.

Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of Spence Children's Anxiety Scale in Iranian Adolescents.

The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) is a tool for measuring anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents. In this study, the psychometric properties of the Persian version of SCAS were investigated in an Iranian adolescents. This study was conducted on a sample of 684 adolescents. For standardization of SCAS, first- and second-order confirmatory factor analyses wereperformed. Also, to evaluate convergent and divergent validity, Fornell and Larcker criteria (1994), along with the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS)and Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), was used. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was also performedto determine the cut-off point. The model fit of the correlated six-factor model was good however, a second-order model provided a statistically superior fit to the data. The reliability coefficients for the total scale and its dimensions were satisfactory (α > 0.7). Therefore, it can be concluded that the Persian version of SCAS has acceptable reliability and validity and can be used as a useful tool for early screening of anxiety in Iranian adolescents due to its easy use and specific design for children and adolescents.

Anxiety symptoms among children visiting a pediatric emergency center in Qatar during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

Although the evidence base regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children has been growing, descriptions of their experiences remain scarce. In this cross-sectional study, the authors used the Child-Reported Spence Children's Anxiety Scale to collect data from 91 children visiting a pediatric emergency center in Qatar during the pandemic. Around 25% of the children reported elevated levels of overall anxiety. Obsessive-compulsive symptoms were the most common, with 59.3% of children reporting elevated symptoms. The mean score of physical injury fears was significantly affected by gender, with females having higher scores. Overall rates for elevated anxiety symptoms were similar in natives and expatriate children. The findings suggest that the effects of the pandemic on children may depend on several vulnerability factors, including developmental age and gender. This study highlights the need to plan multidisciplinary strategies to enhance children's access to mental health services during and after the current health crisis.

Social difficulties in adolescent attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Social motivation, social anxiety and symptom severity as contributing factors.

Many interventions have been developed to address the social difficulties commonly experienced by adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), yet they are largely ineffective. This study examined social impairment amongadolescents with and without ADHD, determining whether gender, social anxiety, age, and ADHD symptom type (inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity) and severity are associated with social impairment. Parents and primary caregivers of adolescents (aged 13-17) with (n = 76) and without ADHD (n = 36) completed the Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD and Normal Behavior, Social Responsiveness Scale 2nd Edition, and Spence Children's Anxiety Scale. Adolescents with ADHD scored significantly higher than TD adolescents across social impairment domains. ADHD symptoms were associated with severity of impairment in all domains excluding Social Motivation. Hyperactivity/impulsivity and social anxiety predicted social impairment, whereas gender did not. Adolescents with ADHD are more likely to experience social impairment than TD adolescents, and interventions targeting symptom reduction and social anxiety may improve these social impairments.

School-based cognitive behavioural intervention programme for addressing anxiety in 10- to 11-year-olds using short classroom activities in Japan: a quasi-experimental study

BackgroundAlthough several school-based cognitive behavioural intervention programmes have been developed in Japan to prevent and improve children’s anxiety disorders, the substantial time required for their completion remains a problem.MethodsA brief version of the cognitive behavioural programme called ‘Journey of the Brave’, developed for Japanese children was conducted among 90 children aged 10‒11 years using 20-min short classroom activities, and its effectiveness was examined. The children were divided into two groups: the intervention (n = 31) and control groups (n = 59). The control group did not attend any programme sessions and followed regular school curriculum. We conducted 14 weekly programme sessions and assessed children at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 2-month follow-up (6 months after the beginning). The primary and secondary outcome measures were the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS) to assess children’s anxiety symptoms and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to measure behaviour problems, respectively.ResultsA statistically significant reduction in the SCAS score in the intervention group was found at 2-month follow-up compared with the control group. A significant reduction was also observed in the SDQ score.ConclusionsOur findings suggested that the ‘Journey of the Brave’ programme, which requires only 5 h of short classroom activities, demonstrates promising results compared with previous programmes. A larger randomised control trial would be desirable.Trial registrationUMIN, UMIN000009021, Registered 10 March 2012.

Can the bodily distress syndrome (BDS) concept be used to assess functional somatic symptoms in adolescence?

ObjectiveBodily Distress Syndrome (BDS) represents a new research concept for adult patients with various functional somatic syndromes. We evaluated the utility of the BDS research concept and the associated BDS-25-checklist as a screening tool for diverse functional somatic symptoms (FSS) in adolescence by investigating: 1) the psychometric and factorial structures of the checklist, 2) symptom cluster patterns and 3) illness classification and associations with emotional psychopathology and sociodemographic factors. MethodsThis cross-sectional study obtained data from the 16/17-year follow-up (N = 2542) of the general population Copenhagen Child Cohort 2000 (CCC2000). We used self-reported questionnaires to assess physical symptoms (the BDS-25 checklist), overall health (KidScreen), emotional psychopathology (Spence Children's Anxiety Scale; The Mood and Feelings Questionnaire), and illness worry (Whiteley-6 Index), and utilized data from Danish national registers to assess sociodemographic factors. ResultsThe BDS-25 checklist items displayed satisfactory psychometric data quality. Factor analyses revealed a similar four-factor model as reported in adults (factor loadings λ ≥0.5), representing distinct BDS symptom clusters: cardio-pulmonary, gastro-intestinal, musculoskeletal and general symptoms. Latent class analyses revealed a model with three latent classes, i.e. probable no to mild BDS, probable moderate, single-organ BDS and probable severe, multi-organ BDS, displaying acceptable class quality (Entropy = 0.904). Trend analyses revealed sociodemographic group differences across latent classes. Increased emotional psychopathology was associated with more pronounced BDS symptoms. ConclusionOur findings support the BDS concept with four symptom clusters and three illness severity groups (no BDS, single- organ and multi-organ BDS) to screen for FSS in adolescence.

The relationship between communication skills, sensory difficulties, and anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundDespite the high prevalence of communicational differences, anxiety, and sensory processing difficulties in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), little is known about the nature of their experiences. Thus, the present study aimed to explore the correlation between communication skills, sensory difficulties, and anxiety in children with ASD. Fifty-three children with ASD (Mage = 8.51, SD = 2.51; males = 42) were recruited. The Persian version of the Short Sensory Profile (SSP), the Children’s Communication Checklist (CCC), and the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS) was used to assess the variables.ResultsThe overall sensory score of children with ASD was significantly and positively correlated with most of the communication skills (P < 0.05). The overall sensory score of children with ASD was significantly and negatively correlated with all anxiety subsets of these children (P < 0.05). The social relationships score of children with ASD had a significant and negative correlation with all subsets of anxiety and a significant and positive correlation with all sensory subsets (P < 0.05). The total score of communication was significantly and negatively related to all subsets of anxiety except separation anxiety (P < 0.05).ConclusionsSensory processing difficulties in ASD children appear to be significantly associated with communication skills and anxiety acts as a mediator between the two.