Australian Rotary Health

Caroline is a Clinical Psychologist who specialises in the assessment, treatment and prevention of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. She is a Lecturer in the School of Psychology, Griffith University, where she teaches Honours-level courses in counselling and professional issues as well as Postgraduate-level courses in child assessment. Caroline received her PhD from the University of Queensland, and held a Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship there for three years where she continued her clinical research with a focus on online treatment approaches for anxiety.

Her research interests also include the study of eating disorders, adolescent depression, perfectionism and parenting. Caroline has experience in psychotherapy training, supervising both clinical psychologists-in-training and PhD research students. She has presented her research at both national and international conferences and has published papers in internationally renowned journals. She is a registered psychologist and a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), the APS College of Clinical Psychologists, and the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY). She also maintains a small private practice in addition to her academic role.

SUMMARY OF PROJECT:

Between 3% and 27% of Australian children suffer from clinical levels of anxiety disorders. These disorders follow a chronic course and are associated with a myriad of adverse psychological and social consequences both in the short- and long-term. In recognition of this important problem, highly effective psychological treatments for anxiety in young people aged 7-17 years have been developed and evaluated. Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy (CBT) in particular has been tested extensively and has been found to be very effective in reducing anxiety in children. However, there is a surprising lack of research investigating the efficacy of early interventions for anxiety disorders in the preschool years, despite similar prevalence rates to those found in older children and adolescents. The earlier these disorders are treated, the less impact they are likely to have on the child’s development and future.
 

Unfortunately, the vast majority of anxious children do not receive help for their anxiety for reasons such as lack of access to services, stigma associated with mental illness and the time and costs associated with therapy. One potential way of getting around these problems is to use what has become known as ‘computer-based therapy’. Several studies have shown that therapy by way of the internet, CD-Rom, palmtop computers and the like, can be very effective for anxiety in school-aged children.
 

Over the last several years, our research team has been testing an internet-based CBT program for the treatment of child anxiety disorders whereby children and parents work through treatment sessions online. Results from a large recent trial indicate that the online program works to reduce anxiety in both children and adolescents. The potential for such a program to be useful in intervening earlier and helping preschool children who are suffering with anxiety and who cannot or will not receive treatment, is enormous. It is low cost, convenient, and has the potential to be available to any family with a computer. However, an internet-based, CBT treatment program for preschoolers with anxiety has never been trialled anywhere in the world.