Is CBT Effective for Children?
CBT is an evidence based practice shown to be effective for a number of different of issues.
So how effective is it for children?
CBT initially started off as a therapeutic method for adults, but has increasingly been applied for children, showing robust efficacy and effectiveness.
Some studies show that youth treated with CBT have a significant reduction in symptom severity.
Not only is CBT effective for children, but it is also a safe therapy that can help with varying conditions, including depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, perfectionism, and trauma.
Read more about CBT and anxiety
Learn more about art therapy with Susie at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis
Additional studies even show that young children under the age of 7 can benefit from CBT in managing concerns associated with anxiety, while some no longer presented any symptoms for anxiety following CBT treatment.
Effectiveness of CBT for children can be even more advanced by providing material that is suitable for their developmental age. Many CBT therapists do this by incorporating art or play into their practice to make therapy fun and engaging. Another option to increase effectiveness could be by modifying or incorporating language in simpler, more understanding terms.
For example, negative or unhelpful thoughts can be described as “thought invaders” that children have to destroy, because of course, this is more fun and engaging, but still effectively teaches CBT concepts to children.
Effectiveness is not the only beneficial factor of CBT for children, it also has the ability to:
enhance self control, problem-solving skills, and social skills
increases coping skills and improves emotional awareness and regulation
improves expressiveness while decreasing social anxiety
reduces negative self-talk and non-productive coping strategies
regulates frustration and inserts more positive control over conflict
improves sleep
Image Credit: luis arias @luism_arias on Unsplash
While therapy isn’t a one size fits all, and children may benefit from different approaches or techniques, it’s safe to say that overall CBT is an effective method for children in therapy.
At Compassionate Counseling St. Louis, CBT is a great starting point for anxiety therapy and anger management therapy.
If you’ve considered CBT therapy for your child and are wondering about our approach at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis you can schedule a phone consultation with our intake coordinator who will discuss details, walk you through our approach, answer any questions that you may have, and talk more about foundational CBT skills and how they can help your child.
Kelsey Torgerson Dunn is the author of When Anxiety Makes You Angry and founder of Compassionate Counseling St. Louis. She works with anxious teens, college students, and adults.
Compassionate Counseling St. Louis specializes in anxiety therapy for teens, kids, and college students, along with partnering with parents through parent coaching - basically therapy for parents here in St. Louis. We’re located in Clayton and work with clients throughout the St. Louis region. To schedule a free phone consultation, please use our contact page.
