SYDNEY, June 25 (Xinhua) -- New Australian research highlights the importance of involving a child's immediate support network, particularly parents and caregivers, in effectively addressing childhood anxiety and depression.
The study examined the impact of Behavior Exchange and Systems Therapy - Foundations (BEST-F) on children aged 3 to 11. This family-based approach places the parent-child relationship at the center of treatment, according to a release from Murdoch University in Western Australia published on the Science Media Exchange website on Tuesday.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, childhood anxiety and depression have risen worldwide, but the study shows that involving families in therapy can significantly reduce children's internalized symptoms, the release said.
"We know that children are embedded within many systems, and the family system is of prime importance," said Renita Almeida, the study's co-author from Murdoch University.
Family environments strongly affect children's mental health, and improvements within the family often lead to ongoing benefits for both children and parents, Almeida said.
The research, published in the journal of Children, demonstrated that the BEST-F model, developed in Melbourne and Perth, had a substantial effect on lowering the frequency with which children internalized their symptoms.
The authors found that fostering safety and trust in therapy improved family communication and made children more willing to share their emotions, the release said.
Kim Lee Kho from Murdoch University who led the study said she hopes these results will lead to larger trials and wider use of family-based therapies to meet children's mental health needs globally. ■
