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Patterns and Predictors of Subjective Units of Distress in Anxious Youth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 May 2010

Courtney L. Benjamin ,
Kelly A. O'Neil ,
Sarah A. Crawley ,
Rinad S. Beidas ,
Meredith Coles  and
Philip C. Kendall
Courtney L. Benjamin*
Affiliation:
Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
Kelly A. O'Neil
Affiliation:
Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
Sarah A. Crawley
Affiliation:
Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
Rinad S. Beidas
Affiliation:
Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
Meredith Coles
Affiliation:
Binghamton University, USA
Philip C. Kendall
Affiliation:
Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
*
Reprint requests to Courtney Benjamin, Department of Psychology, Temple University, 1701 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, USA. E-mail: courtney.benjamin@temple.edu
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Abstract

Background: Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS) ratings are commonly used during exposure tasks in cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) for anxiety. Aims: The present study examined patterns and predictors of SUDS in a sample of anxiety-disordered youth. Method: Youth (N = 99) aged 7 to 14 (M = 10.4, SD = 1.8) were treated with CBT for social phobia (SP), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and/or separation anxiety disorder (SAD). Analyses were conducted using hierarchical linear modeling. Results: Child's peak SUDS and magnitude of change in SUDS significantly increased between sessions. Higher child self-reported pretreatment total Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) score predicted greater change in SUDS within the first exposure session. Primary GAD diagnosis predicted less increase in change in SUDS between sessions. Conclusions: Results suggest that higher pretreatment total MASC scores are associated with increased first exposure within-session habituation. Additionally, youth with a principal diagnosis of GAD experienced less between-session habituation, perhaps because they may have required more imaginal than in-vivo exposures.

Keywords

Subjective units of distresschildhood anxietyanxiety disorderscognitive behavioral therapyCBT
Type
Brief Clinical Reports
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 38 , Issue 4 , July 2010 , pp. 497 - 504
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2010

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