Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
CAMS adapted the evidence-based “Coping Cat” CBT
protocol [25,46]. Guidelines assisted the therapist in
adapting the manual flexibly and in a standardized manner
for a client’s age and developmental level. “The C.A.
T. Project,[47] a version of the Coping Cat modified for
use with adolescent participants, allowed therapists to
provide developmentally appropriate CBT across the full
age range of the study. Across both child and adolescent
CBT protocols, the number of session was reduced from
16-20 60-minute treatment sessions (in the original protocols)
to 14. Twelve of these sessions were individual
child/adolescent sessions and 2 were parent sessions,
which were scheduled immediately after the child session
at weeks 3 and 5. CBT responders received
monthly CBT maintenance sessions during the sixmonth
follow-up period of Phase II.
The first six CBT sessions taught new skills to the
child/adolescent (e.g., the FEAR plan), whereas the second
six sessions provide opportunities to practice newly
learned skills (exposure tasks) within and outside of the
sessions. The overall goal of CBT was to teach youth to
recognize the signs of unwanted anxiety, let these signs
serve as cues for the use of more effective anxiety management
strategies, and face rather than avoid anxiety
provoking situations.