About the Talk:

Clinically significant anxiety affects 20% of preschoolers and increases the risk of depression and substance use problems later in life. Although traditionally considered a hallmark of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and related childhood disorders, low effortful control (inhibitory functions, attentional control, decision making) is also associated with anxiety in youth. In this talk, I will present neural and behavioral findings confirming the association between anxiety and poor effortful control functions in young children and discuss its developmental significance across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. These findings led us to develop a novel intervention designed to increase neurobehavioral capacity for effortful control to reduce anxiety in children aged 4 to 6 years old, called Camp Kidpower. Camp Kidpower is delivered weekly in a camp-like setting in small groups of 4-6 children. Parents are also engaged in the intervention to practice effortful control games at home to generalize effects from camp. Together, I will argue that focusing on effortful control as a mechanism involved in and a treatment target for youth anxiety is a fruitful avenue for future research and practice efforts.  

This presentation is relevant to graduate students, faculty, psychologists, clinicians interested in developmental psychopathology and treatment of youth anxiety., offering content at an Intermediate. The speaker has reported no conflicts of interest or commercial support for this talk.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the association between anxiety and effortful control functions in youth  

2. Explain the rationale for treating youth anxiety by training effortful control skills.  

3. Assess the different manifestations of effortful control problems in anxiety across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. 

Continuing Education:

One hour of CE credit is available for attendees who are present for the entire program. We ask that all participants complete the given evaluation form at the conclusion of the program.

The Center for Children and Families at FIU is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Center for Children and Families at FIU maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) accepts CE credit provided by APA providers towards ANCC re-certification.

This free in-person talk has also been approved for up to 1 CEU credit by Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling; and 1 CE credit by Florida Board of Psychology and Florida Office of School Psychology.

Provider # BAP 50-12872.