Parental Opinions Regarding Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder in Youth

ABSTRACT. This study surveyed parents’ opinions about treatment for childhood social anxiety disorder and assessed variables that may affect treatment acceptability. A 20-item survey assessing treatment attitudes and a semistructured interview were administered to 190 parents of children (8–17 years) who were randomly selected from a pediatric primary care setting. An exploratory factor analysis of the treatment attitudes survey yielded four factors: medication acceptability, counseling acceptability, counseling feasibility, and general beliefs about social anxiety treatment. Findings revealed that parents endorsed favorable attitudes toward counseling and somewhat neutral beliefs about medication. White parents were more accepting of medication and counseling and also perceived counseling as more feasible than nonwhite parents. Treatment acceptance was associated with past mental health utilization but not with severity of social anxiety. Further research is necessary to determine if clinical interventions for child anxiety disorders may be more efficacious if parents’ attitudes and beliefs about prescribed treatments are addressed.