CBT for Anxiety in Children and Adolescents
Evidence-Based Interventions in School Settings
Anxiety can affect students' academic engagement, attendance, peer relationships, and daily functioning. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) offers an evidence-based approach to understanding anxiety, reducing avoidance, and developing effective coping skills.
This course examines the core principles of CBT for children and adolescents, with an emphasis on developmentally appropriate adaptations and application within school settings. Participants will explore cognitive and behavioral strategies, exposure-based interventions, case formulation, and progress monitoring to support school-based psychological practice.
What This Course Covers
The course connects established CBT principles with the practical responsibilities of school psychologists and other professionals supporting children and adolescents. Emphasis is placed on selecting and adapting strategies to the student's developmental needs, school environment, and individual presentation.
Course Lessons
Understanding Anxiety and Psychological Case Formulation
Examine youth anxiety, common patterns of avoidance, cognitive and physiological responses, and the development of individualized CBT case formulations in school settings.
Cognitive Strategies, Exposure, and Reducing Avoidance
Explore cognitive restructuring, graduated exposure, behavioral practice, and strategies for reducing avoidance and unhelpful reassurance.
Adapting CBT to Developmental Needs and School Settings
Consider developmental differences, student readiness, caregiver collaboration, classroom demands, and modifications that maintain fidelity to CBT principles.
Applying CBT Principles and Monitoring Progress
Apply CBT strategies to school-based cases, identify meaningful intervention targets, monitor student response, and make data-informed adjustments to intervention plans.
Required Reading
Adapting CBT for Youth Anxiety: Flexibility, Within Fidelity, in Different Settings
Kendall and colleagues (2023). Published in Frontiers in Psychiatry.
This open-access, peer-reviewed article examines the delivery and adaptation of cognitive behavioral therapy across settings, including schools and community environments.
Credit-Hour Determination
This independent-study course is designed to provide 2.0 continuing education hours. Course credit is based on estimated learner completion time calculated using the Mergener formula, taking into account instructional reading, assessment questions, and the difficulty of the instructional material.
The credit-hour documentation is available for review below.
📄 View Credit-Hour Calculation (PDF)