The Relationship Between Therapy Homework Compliance and Treatment Outcome in Anxious Youth

Abstract

Objective: Although therapy homework has been identified as integral for treating anxiety in adults, therapy homework has not been directly studied in anxious youth. The present study examined therapy homework compliance as a predictor of differential outcomes for youth treated for an anxiety disorder. Methods: Participants (N = 39) were youth who received 16 weeks of cognitive-behavioral therapy for a principal anxiety disorder diagnosis. Measures of anxiety and symptom severity were completed at pre- and post-treatment. A measure of therapy homework compliance was completed by therapists during every session with the youth. Results: Five facets of therapy homework compliance emerged as differentially important to treatment outcome: (a) overall therapy homework compliance, (b) therapy homework compliance during psychoeducation sessions, (c) total number of psychoeducation homework tasks completed throughout treatment, (d) overall quality of completed therapy homework, and (e) overall quantity of therapy homework completed. Conclusions: Results provide a critical first step examining the relationship between therapy homework compliance and treatment outcome in anxious youth. The findings indicate that specific facets of therapy homework predict decreases in posttreatment responder status and symptom severity for anxious youth.