Department of Psychology
About the Program
Who Can Participate?
The Rural Outreach Program is open to primary school children from rural Australia who are at least 8 years old. A list of eligible postcodes can be found here. A parent or guardian must also be willing to be involved in implementing the program at home.
What is Involved?
There are three stages to our program.
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First there is an initial assessment. This involves telephone interviews with a parent and their child. In addition the parent and child are asked to complete some questionnaires.
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The second stage is a 12 week treatment program that parents and children complete at home while having regular telephone sessions with a psychologist.
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The final stage involves two progress assessments, one at the end of treatment and one 6 months later. At these times the same interviews and questionnaires as done in the initial assessment are repeated.
What do
the assessments involve?
All assessments involve the
parent and
child being interviewed on the telephone by a clinical psychologist and
completing questionnaires
about
thoughts, feelings and behaviours. The purpose of the initial assessment is
to determine if our program is suitable for
the
child. If our program is not suitable, we will discuss other referral
options. The purpose of the progress assessments is to determine if anxiety
has increased, decreased or not changed following treatment.
What does
the treatment involve?
The aim of treatment is to teach each child how to
effectively manage anxiety and to help them to face situations that they
fear. The treatment program is based on cognitive behavioural theory. This
means that we teach specific strategies and skills for managing anxiety.
Skills include education on anxiety and what causes it, how to think
realistically, structured problem solving, ways to parent an anxious child,
improving social skills, relaxation and most importantly facing fears
through gradual exposure to anxiety provoking situations. Each skill is
tailored to a child’s particular fears and worries during the telephone
sessions.
Families receive a parent book that explains all of the
above skills and a child workbook that has activities to help teach each
skill to their child. The books are designed to be completed at home over a
12 week period. Parents will need to work with their child on the child
workbook, children will not be able to complete their activities alone.
Click here to see a preview of Helping Your Anxious Child
In addition to the workbooks, all parents will receive
10 half-hour telephone sessions during the 12 weeks. In addition half of the
children will also have 10 half-hour telephone sessions. Whether a child has
telephone sessions or not will be determined randomly.
Who will be the clinician?
Our clinicians are clinical psychologists experienced
with working with child anxiety. All of the clinicians receive supervision
from the senior clinical psychologists who designed the program. Where
possible the clinician who does your initial telephone assessment will be
the person who also supports you in implementing the treatment program.
What is The Cost?
The assessment and treatment service is being provided free of charge. In return you will be asked to help us with our research by completing the progress assessments and other research projects that are investigating the causes and consequences of child anxiety.
How To Participate
If you would like to have your child assessed or need further information please contact us by:
Telephone: (02) 9850 9706
Email: carop@psy.mq.edu.au