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A Trial of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Familial Dysautonomia

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Paroxysmal Hypertension
Dysthymia
Anxiety Disorders
Familial Dysautonomia
Autosomal Recessive Disease
Interventions
Behavioral: 8-week CBT Program
Registration Number
NCT03013777
Lead Sponsor
NYU Langone Health
Brief Summary

To determine the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in the severity of anxiety and depression in adult patients with familial dysautonomia. Patients will be enrolled in an 8-week CBT program. All CBT sessions will be done either in person at the NYU Dysautonomia Center or over the phone to help accommodate disability and potential physical limitations of our patient population.

Detailed Description

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), defined as a program of interventions that utilize education to teach relaxation, healthy coping skills, stress management, assertiveness training in order to help the individual identify and correct maladaptive beliefs in combination with education to help practice symptom reduction and improve quality of life and function. Patients will participate in eight forty-five minute sessions of CBT with a mental health therapist in order to help treat generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety disorder due to another medical condition (familial dysautonomia), major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), substance/medication- induced depressive disorder, depressive disorder due to another medical condition.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
15
Inclusion Criteria
  • Diagnosis of FD (genetically confirmed)
  • DSM-V criteria of major depressive disorder OR anxiety disorder
  • STAI score ≥ 25 OR a PHQ-9 depression scale score ≥ 5 or greater
  • Willing and able to complete 8 CBT sessions
  • Maintain constant psychoactive medication through out study and no concurrent talk therapy from another therapist.
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Exclusion Criteria
  • Currently suicidal or having current suicidal ideations
  • Currently under psychiatric treatment for depression or anxiety
  • Have started any psychoactive medication within 3 months prior to screening
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Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)8-week CBT ProgramThe patient would participate in eight forty-five minute sessions of CBT with a mental health therapist. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), defined as a program of interventions that utilize education to teach relaxation, healthy coping skills, stress management, assertiveness training in order to help the individual identify and correct maladaptive beliefs in combination with education to help practice symptom reduction and improve quality of life and function.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) depression scale8 Weeks

Short, but comprehensive scale that consists specifically to the criteria for diagnosis in the DSM-V. The PHQ-9 is effective and sensitive as an instrument in establishing tentative depressive disorder diagnoses while also assessing severity of depressive symptoms. The brevity and criterion validity of the scale make it an appropriate, dual purpose instrument for assessing the severity of depressive disorder within a clinical trial.

Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale8 Weeks

10-item questionnaire that objectively measures global self-worth. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale is a 10-item questionnaire that objectively measures global self-worth. The Rosenberg self-esteem scale is a 10-item scale scored using a four-point response. The scale has extensive and acceptable reliability and validity, both convergent and discriminant

State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)8 Weeks

The STAI has 40 items, 20 items for each of the S-Anxiety and T-Anxiety sub scales. The STAI was chosen for brevity while also providing a broad coverage of DSM V diagnostic criteria for anxiety. The STAI has proven efficacy in measuring valid self-reports of anxiety symptoms and propensity for anxiety.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

New York University School of Medicine

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New York, New York, United States

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