Effectiveness of a family-focused cognitive-behaviour therapy relative to treatment as usual for anxiety-disordered children and adolescents.

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Anxiety disorders; Mental Health - Anxiety

• Registration Number: ACTRN12619001541190
• Lead Sponsor: Mater Child and Youth Mental Health Service

Brief Summary

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of family-oriented CBT (FCBT) for child and adolescent anxiety disorders, relative to treatment-as-usual (TAU), in an Australian child and youth mental health service. Empirical research on FCBT for the treatment of child anxiety disorders has predominantly been conducted in controlled research settings with homogenous samples. To date, only one study has evaluated the partial effectiveness of FCBT in a community setting. For this reason, a more comprehensive evaluation of FCBT is required so that contemporary research is effective and applicable to children and adolescents in community clinics. Participants: 29 children and adolescents (9-17 years of age, M age = 14.1, 55% boys) diagnosed with DSM-IV anxiety disorders, and their parents, were quasi-randomly assigned to FCBT plus TAU, or TAU alone. Results: Children in the FCBT condition achieved significantly better outcomes in terms of diagnostic status and severity of primary anxiety diagnosis than those in the TAU condition (42% versus 0% free of primary anxiety diagnosis immediately post-treatment, respectively). This pattern of results was maintained at 6- (FCBT: 58%; TAU: 20%) and 12-month follow-up intervals (FCBT: 63%; TAU: 20%). The two treatment groups demonstrated similar rates of improvement on questionnaire measures. Limitations: Modest sample size which provided inadequate power to detect the full range of intervention effects and missing data.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Results First Posted: 1900-01-01
• Study Completion: 2009-04-06
• Study Start: 2019-11-08
• Last Update Posted: 18 November 2019

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 29

Inclusion Criteria

All children and adolescents aged 6-18 years who met criteria for an anxiety diagnosis (on the parent version of the ADIS-C) with a severity level of 4 or greater, and their parents, were invited to participate in the project. The anxiety disorder was not required to be the patient's primary diagnosis, rather a significant component of their overall presentation. Indeed, almost 75% of participants met criteria for secondary, non-anxiety diagnosis.

Exclusion Criteria

The sole exclusion criterion was if the patient had potential for adverse consequences, specifically, if the patients' case manager deemed them to be at risk of being adversely effected by participation in the anxiety group (which required a relatively stable and low average to average level of cognitive functioning). Examples of such patients may include intellectually impaired or actively psychotic young people.

Study & Design

• Study Type: Interventional
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in diagnostic status as assessed by the ADIC-C. [There will be three time-points: immediately post intervention (primary endpoint), 6-months post intervention, and 12-months post intervention. ]