Testing combined therapy for children with social anxiety

This trial is testing a new approach to treating childhood social anxiety by involving both the child and at least one parent in coordinated therapy. Children will receive cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)—a proven talk therapy that teaches practical skills to manage anxiety—while their parents receive a separate program called SPACE that helps them support their child's progress. Researchers want to understand whether this combined parent-child approach works better than treating the child alone.

Social anxiety in children can be very difficult to treat, and parents often play an important role in either helping or accidentally maintaining their child's anxiety. This trial exists to see whether involving parents directly in treatment—alongside the child's own therapy—leads to better and longer-lasting results.