Preventing internalising problems in preschoolers with chronic physical health conditions. (June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Brown, Amy; Noone, Kate; Rapee, Ronald M; Kangas, Maria; Anderson, Vicki; Bayer, Jordana K
• Is Part Of: Journal of child health care. Volume 26:Number 2(2022)
• Page Start: 228
• Page End: 241
• Publication Date: 2022-06
• Subjects: Child -- preschool -- chronic physical illness -- anxiety disorders -- internalising problems -- prevention -- early intervention; Pediatric nursing -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Child health services -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 618.9200231
• DOI: 10.1177/13674935211013192
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1367-4935

Abstract

This pilot study aimed to explore the suitability of a preventative intervention for internalising problems in young children with chronic physical health conditions. The pilot study focused on a subsample of 27 children with chronic physical health conditions within a population-level randomised controlled trial of the Cool Little Kids parenting programme. The Cool Little Kids parenting programme aims to prevent the development of internalising problems in inhibited (shy/anxious) preschool children by educating parents to reduce young children's avoidant coping styles and manage their anxiety/distress. The wider trial recruited 545 temperamentally inhibited preschool children. Measures included child health/development concerns and internalising symptoms at baseline, feedback on Cool Little Kids post-intervention and child internalising problems at one- and two-year longitudinal follow-up. At baseline, inhibited children with and without chronic physical health conditions had levels of internalising symptoms above the normative mean. At post-intervention, parents of children with chronic physical health conditions gave feedback that Cool Little Kids was helpful for managing their child's emotional distress. At follow-up, significantly fewer intervention than control children with chronic physical health conditions had specific phobia after 1 year (25% vs 70%) and specific fear symptoms after 2 years (mean 9.57 vs 16.89). As the pilot findings are promising, a further trial of Cool Little Kids in a physical health treatment service with a larger sample of children with chronic physical illness diagnoses would be worthwhile.