Oxytocin as a Biomarker of Differential Effects to SPACE vs. CBT Treatment of Child Anxiety Disorders

Objective: Two lines of research, on outcome moderators and on novel treatment targets, seek to improve the overall efficacy of child anxiety treatment, with mixed results. We propose that an integration of both lines of research can lead to improved treatment efficacy. In a first proof of concept of this approach, we studied whether the interaction between baseline levels and targeted changes in peripheral oxytocin (OT) can predict differential responses to two childhood anxiety treatments. Method: A total of 124 mother-child dyads participated in the study. Children’s salivary OT levels were measured at baseline and again, immediately after an experimental dyadic interaction in the lab. Dyads were subsequently randomized to receive one of two treatments, differing in their targets: SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) and CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy). Treatment outcomes were assessed using the Childhood Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders scale, reported by both mother and child. Results: The findings suggest that in SPACE, where the mother is the main agent of change, higher baseline levels of child OT, coupled with increases in OT following a positive mother-child interaction, predicted greater treatment efficacy. By contrast, in CBT, where the child is the main agent of change, higher baseline levels of child OT, coupled with a decrease in OT following the interaction, predicted greater treatment efficacy. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of the integration between moderators and targets of treatments for progress toward improving treatment efficacy through precision medicine.