This article discusses treatment failures in child therapy, specifically cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety and its disorders. The theoretical foundations and principles of CBT are discussed first, followed by a summary of the treatment outcome literature. Also discussed is how treatment failure is defined and gauged in CBT, as well as factors implicated in treatment failure. A case illustration highlights these factors, which resulted in the child not advancing positively in treatment. The article concludes with key practice recommendations.
© 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.