Trennungsangstprogramm für Familien (TAFF) : ein störungsspezifisches, kognitiv-behaviorales Therapieprogramm für Kinder mit Trennungsangst

Separation Anxiety Disorder is one oft the most frequent mental disorders in children. The SAFT treatment manual is an evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy program for children with separation anxiety. Its first part consists of four weekly sessions with the child and four weekly sessions with the parents. Children and parents receive psychoeducation about anxiety, learn to recognize and reframe irrational beliefs about separation situations, expand their repertoire of coping strategies, and are introduced to the rationale for exposure. The second part of treatment consists of eight weekly family sessions followed by a short parent-only session. During the family sessions, exposure in vivo is planned and practiced. The parent-only portions of the family sessions involve reframing parental irrational beliefs about separation, parenting strategies and practicing parental behavior during exposure. Evaluation data shows that disorder-specific family-based therapy (SAFT) results in improvement compared with waiting list controls.