Trichotillomania (TTM) is characterised by the removal of one's hair, causing hair loss. Phenomenological research on TTM has investigated its associated behavioural and affective factors. Few studies have investigated the possible role of cognitions and beliefs, despite emerging support for cognitive therapies in treating this disorder. This study aimed to explore and describe the cognitions and beliefs that contribute to the onset and maintenance of hairpulling in TTM. Eight women with TTM participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews to explore their experience of cognitions and beliefs before, during and after typical hairpulling episodes. Interviews were analysed using the qualitative method of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Six superordinate themes of beliefs were identified as important: negative self-beliefs, control beliefs, beliefs about coping, beliefs about negative emotions, permission-giving beliefs, and perfectionism. These preliminary findings suggest that cognitions may play an important role in TTM phenomenology. Future quantitative research on the role of cognitions and beliefs in TTM in larger samples has the potential to advance cognitive-behavioural models and treatments of this poorly understood disorder.

Background: Preschool-aged children exhibit a relatively high prevalence rate of anxiety disorders, and the course of these disorders is often chronic. However, surprisingly few studies have focused on the treatment of anxiety in this age group. In response to this limitation, the purpose of the current study was to examine the effectiveness of an open trial of the Fun FRIENDS (FF) program, a downward extension of the FRIENDS programs for preschool-aged children (5–7 years), in a community clinic setting. Method: The sample included 31 children diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Treatment consisted of 10 weekly sessions administered in a group format. Parents also received two information sessions. Child anxiety, behavioural inhibition, and resiliency were assessed at preintervention, immediate postintervention, and at 12-month follow-up. Results: Significant decreases in child anxiety and shyness and improvements on measures of resiliency were observed following the completion of treatment. Conclusions: The results of this study provide support for the effectiveness of the Fun FRIENDS program as a treatment for anxiety in young children. Further, this study adds to the relatively small body of research focused on the use of CBT to treat anxiety disorders in this population.

There is evidence that the school-based program FRIENDS for Life is effective in preventing childhood anxiety and depression. Effectiveness is, however, not the only prerequisite for successful implementation. Participants’ evaluation of a prevention program may provide suggestions about how to fine-tune it to fit the needs of the target population. This study investigated children's and parents’ evaluations of the Dutch version of FRIENDS for Life. Forty-four participants of FRIENDS for Life (9–13 years) participated in online focus groups and 38 parents were interviewed in 2011–2012. Questions concerned the general opinion about the program, its perceived effectiveness and group atmosphere, and suggestions for program improvement. Most children (95.5%) and parents (65.8%) evaluated the program positively, and the majority (61.4% and 76.3%) thought that it had been useful in changing the child's behaviour. Children and parents expressed complementary views about the behaviours the child had learned. Some children (38.6%) expressed negative opinions about the program. Parents’ attendance at parent meetings was low (31.6–36.8%). Considered together with the growing evidence of the effectiveness of FRIENDS for Life, we concluded that it can be successfully implemented as an indicated prevention program in primary schools for children who show symptoms of anxiety or depression. Efforts could be made to increase parents’ involvement in the program.

This article appraises the ability of several measures, assessing symptomatology theoretically relevant to generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), to accomplish successful classification of individuals with DSM-IV GAD and individuals with mood or other anxiety disorders. Participants were 197 individuals (average age = 36.43; 67.5% female) receiving treatment at a clinic, who completed pretreatment self-report measures. Receiver operator characteristic analyses and logistic regression analyses were employed to determine the classificatory abilities, including sensitivity and specificity, of several GAD relevant measures. The Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) accomplished significant classification in both comparison group dyads: GAD-Anxiety and GAD-Mood. Whereas the general distress of depression subscale of the Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire (MASQ) accomplished significant classification in the GAD-Anxiety group dyad, both the general distress of anxiety and anxious arousal subscales of the MASQ did so in the GAD-Mood group dyad. Only the PSWQ significantly predicted the presence of GAD, while controlling for other symptom variables. Though evidence supports the uniqueness of some symptoms of GAD, including worry, often considered pathognomonic to GAD, the modest areas under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity of the measures afford tenuous support for the utility of these measures. The lack of highly sensitive and specific symptomatology comport with critiques of GAD as a diagnostically delimited category.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a partially parent-implemented self-management intervention incorporating video-modelling for discrimination training on improving social skills in a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The participant was a 9-year-old girl with ASD. A multiple baseline across behaviour design (no interruption, asking for opinions, and appropriately greeting unfamiliar adults) was used to assess the effects of the intervention. Results showed: (a) the intervention was associated with improvements in all target behaviours in the training setting with a strong overall treatment effect; (b) the behavioural gains were generalised to non-training settings and maintained in both fading and follow-up phases; and (c) social validity measured by the Behavior Intervention Rating Scale — Adapted version (pre- and postintervention) was high. The intervention was effective in improving social skills with this participant, with good generalisation and maintenance effects and high social validity.