Which statement best describes evidence-based therapies for pediatric anxiety disorders and a key technique?

• A. Graded exposure with response prevention is a key technique used in CBT and ERP.
• B. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety is not evidence-based in youth.
• C. Trauma-focused CBT is the only evidence-based therapy for pediatric anxiety.
• D. Exposure-based therapies are used, but CBT is not.

Answer: (D)

The main idea is that pediatric anxiety is best treated with evidence-based therapies rooted in cognitive-behavioral approaches, where graded exposure helps children face feared situations step by step and exposure with response prevention (ERP) is a key technique used within that framework. Graded exposure reduces avoidance and anxiety by teaching the child that feared stimuli are endured and manageable, while coping strategies from CBT help reframe thoughts and behavior. This combination—exposure-based work delivered through CBT, with ERP as a prominent example—has strong, consistent support in research on youths with anxiety disorders. The statement that captures this best reflects how CBT underpins effective treatment and how exposure-based techniques are central within that approach. By contrast, CBT for anxiety in youth is indeed evidence-based; trauma-focused CBT is crucial for trauma-related issues but is not the sole evidence-based therapy for pediatric anxiety; and exposure therapies are typically delivered as part of CBT rather than as a separate approach that omits CBT.