Treating Self-criticism in Adolescents: a Study With Single-case Experimental Design

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Depressive Symptoms; Adolescent Problem Behavior; Adolescent - Emotional Problem; Anxiety; Self-Criticism; Nonsuicidal Self Injury
• Interventions: Behavioral: Treating self-criticism

• Registration Number: NCT05247190
• Lead Sponsor: Region Östergötland

Brief Summary

In this pilot study, the effect of a group intervention targeting self-criticism in adolescents in a clinical child- and adolescent psychiatric outpatient setting will be examined using a single-case experimental design (AB). Participants will be randomized to multiple baseline with weekly measures. Our primary outcomes, measured weekly, are self-criticism, nonsuicidal self-injury and symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as an individually chosen behavior driven by self-criticism. Secondary outcomes are self-compassion, psychological flexibility, quality of life and functioning. In addition to the weekly administered questionnaires, before and after measures, and 3- and 6-month follow-up will be collected. After the treatment, participants will also be interviewed about their experiences of targeting self-criticism.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2021-12-03
• Study First Submitted: 2022-01-27
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-02-09
• Study First Posted: 2022-02-18
• Primary Completion: 2023-06-27
• Study Completion: 2023-06-27
• Status Verified: 2024-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-10-25
• Last Update Posted: 2024-10-29

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 19

Inclusion Criteria

• Patient at the child- and adolescent psychiatric clinic in Linköping, Sweden.
• 15 to 18 years
• an adequate understanding of the Swedish language
• cognitively capable of giving informed consent
• scoring 26 or above on subscale "Inadequate self" and 8.5 or above on subscale "Hated Self" on questionnaire Forms of Self-Criticism and Self-Reassuring Scale (FSCRS)
• the treatment is transdiagnostic so all diagnoses are included (See exclusion criteria for exceptions).

Exclusion Criteria

• severe anorexia, BMI ≤ 16
• ongoing substance abuse
• diagnosed intellectual disability
• needing interpreter for translation of Swedish language
• participants who cannot give informed consent

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Treating self-criticism	Treating self-criticism	8-session group intervention targeting self-criticism given 2-hrs/week with booster session after 3-months.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Self-criticism	Change from baseline (phase A) at intervention (phase B) 8 weeks, and at 3- and 6- months	Forms of Self-Criticism and Self-Reassuring Scale (FSCRS; Gilbert et al., 2004)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Self-Compassion	Change from before to after intervention, and at 3- and 6- month follow-up	Self-Compassion Scale, short form (SCS; Raes et al., 2011)
Psychological flexibility	Change from before to after intervention, and at 3- and 6- month follow-up	Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth (AFQ-Y8; Greco et al., 2008).
Quality of life and functioning	Change from before to after intervention, and at 3- and 6- month follow-up	The Work and Social Adjustment Scale, youth version (WSAS-Y; Mundt et al., 2002).
Symptoms of depression	Change from baseline (phase A) at intervention (phase B) 8 weeks, and at 3- and 6- months	Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, self-report version (MADRS-S; Montgomery et al., 1979).
Symptoms of anxiety	Change from baseline (phase A) at intervention (phase B) 8 weeks, and at 3- and 6- months	Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, self-report (LSAS; Liebowitz, 1987)
Nonsuicidal self-injury	Change from baseline (phase A) at intervention (phase B) 8 weeks, and at 3- and 6- months	Selected items from Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors interview (SITBI; Nock et al., 2007), Deliberate self-harm inventory (DSHI; Gratz et al., 2001) och Clinician Administered Nonsuicidal self-injury Disorder Interview (CANDI; Gratz et al., 2015)
Individually chosen behavior	Change from baseline (phase A) at intervention (phase B) 8 weeks, and at 3- and 6- months	A behavior driven by self-criticism

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Region Ostergotland BUP-kliniken; 🇸🇪 Linköping, Sweden