Teaching Primary Care Doctors to Treat Children's Anxiety

This trial is testing whether primary care doctors—like pediatricians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants—can effectively treat childhood anxiety using a brief, structured plan called the Anxiety Action Plan. The plan uses proven anxiety-reduction techniques and is designed to fit easily into regular doctor visits, similar to how asthma action plans work. The study wants to see if this approach helps anxious children feel better without needing to see a separate mental health specialist.

Anxiety is the most common mental health problem in children, but many anxious kids never get help because there aren't enough mental health providers. Most children with anxiety first see their regular doctor with complaints like stomachaches, making primary care an ideal place to offer treatment. This trial is testing whether training primary care doctors to deliver this treatment could help close the gap and reach more anxious children.