University of Murcia, Spain

From assessment to intervention in anxiety problems

The aim of this symposium is to present different studies based on assessment and intervention in anxiety. Firstly, we will address the importance of assessing the child and their surroundings in a detailed manner, the advantages and disadvantages of assessment components and how those results are going to intervene in the intervention. Following, we will talk about the elements involved in separation anxiety be means of the factorial structure in the Spanish adaptation of the Assessment of Separation Anxiety Scale. Next, we will introduce the implementation of the “Fortius” programme to treat separation anxiety, via the components of emotional strength, behavioural strength and cognitive strength. Lastly, the results of the efficacy of the cognitive-behavioural programme will be shown, designed to intervene in exam anxiety in secondary school and A levels students. 

Juan Manuel Ortigosa has a Ph.D. in Psychology and is a professor at the Psychology Faculty at the University of Murcia. He has focussed his research on infancy and adolescence, particularly addressing health issues related to the emotional impact of hospitalisation and the medical-surgical procedure on the child and their parents. He has collaborated in the authorship of articles, chapters in books and of the books: “Child hospitalisation: psychological repercussions-Theory and practice” (2000) and “Journal of Health Psychology with children, adolescents and family members” (2003), “My child is left-handed” (2004) and “The jealous child” (2007), and “Therapeutic procedures in children and adolescents” (2014).