Source: NPR
A new study conducted by researchers at the Yale Child Study Center found that training parents, not just their children, on how to help young ones overcome anxiety was highly effective.
“The parent’s own responses are a core and integral part of childhood anxiety,” says Eli Lebowitz, a psychologist at the Yale School of Medicine who developed the training for the study, as reported by NPR.
As part of the study, parents would meet with a psychologist once a week to learn new skills and develop a plan for handling situations in which their young ones exhibited anxiety. The recently published study showed that at least 70 percent of the 64 participants showed no signs of anxiety after the study.
Parents were essentially taught to show their children that they were heard, empathized with, and then, encouraged and empowered to face their fears head-on.
Researchers say the study is promising in that it focuses on the power of the caretaker in helping the child to overcome their anxiety and to build up more confidence in themselves.
Read Full Story: NPR