.Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - According to a new report released by researchers, children with anxiety disorders respond best to a combination treatment of cognitive behavior therapy, as well as the antidepressant sertraline, also known as Zoloft.

Researchers from Columbia University in New York found that the combo treatment works best, but both method also work well on their own.

Researchers found that on their own, Zoloft of the cognitive behavior therapy worked effectively in over 50% of the patients.

When they were combined though, they were found to do much better overall.

For the study, researchers assigned 488 children aged 7 to 17 with anxiety disorders to 12 weeks of treatment.

They were split into four groups, with some getting the combo therapy, some getting either the cognitive behavior therapy alone, or Zoloft, and the fourth group getting a placebo.

81% of the children who received the combo treatment of Zoloft and the cognitive behavior therapy improved.

This compared to 60% on just the cognitive behavior therapy, and 55% on Zoloft alone.

24% in the group on the placebo showed overall improvement.

The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.