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Online Remote Behavioural Intervention for Tics (ORBIT)

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Tourette Syndrome
Tic Disorders
Interventions
Behavioral: Exposure Response Prevention for tics
Other: Psychoeducation for tics
Registration Number
NCT03483493
Lead Sponsor
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
Brief Summary

Online Remote Behavioural Intervention for Tics (ORBIT).

Primary objective: to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of BiP Tic, a therapist-guided, parent-assisted, internet-based behavioural therapy intervention for tics in young people, compared with usual care plus online education.

Secondary objectives include 1) optimising the design of the intervention, 2) undertaking an internal pilot, 3) evaluating cost effectiveness and 4) longer term impact, and 5) identifying barriers to implementation.

Detailed Description

The ORBIT (Online Remote Behavioural Intervention for Tics) trial is comparing the effectiveness of two treatments delivered online for children and young people with Tourette Syndrome or Chronic Tic Disorder. Families in England with a child/young person (aged 9-17 years) who experiences tics are being asked to take part. Interested families undergo a telephone screen with a researcher and then asked to complete an online questionnaire. They then attend a screening appointment at either Great Ormond Street Hospital (London) or Queen's Medical Centre (Nottingham).

Families that are eligible and want to take part are randomly allocated to one of two treatments. One treatment uses behavioural therapy (BT), the other involves psychoeducation. Both treatments last for 10-weeks and involve completing online chapters (for the parent and child) with the support of a therapist, there are also some tasks to complete offline. After finishing the treatment, families are asked to complete more questionnaires (at 3, 6, 12 and 18 months after starting the treatment). A smaller sample of families and healthcare professionals are also interviewed about their experience of participation. The study is looking to see if the online delivered treatment may be effective at helping children and young people manage their tics. The study is also exploring whether the online programme is acceptable to families, identifying any problems in getting families to take part/complete the programme and also healthcare professionals' views about the programme. It is important to research online therapy for tics because, at the moment, many people with tics do not get any therapy because there are not enough trained tic therapists. If online delivered treatment is effective, this may mean more children and young people could access tic therapy.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
224
Inclusion Criteria
  1. Aged 9 to 17: patient confirmed through screening.

  2. Suspected or confirmed Tourette syndrome/ chronic tic disorder:

    • Including Moderate/severe tics: Score >15 on the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) Total Tic Severity Score (TTSS); TTSS score>10 if motor or vocal tics only: researcher confirms at screening appointment
  3. Competent to provide written, informed consent (parental consent for child aged <16): researcher confirms at screening appointment.

  4. Broadband internet access and regular PC/ laptop/Mac user, with mobile phone SMS: patient confirmed through screening.

Exclusion Criteria
  1. Previous structured behavioural intervention for tics e.g. HRT/CBIT or exposure and response prevention within last 12 months: Patient confirmed through screening.
  2. Change to medication for tics (start or stop tic medication) within the previous 2 months: Patient confirmed through screening and subsequent medication/interventions commenced throughout out the trial are recorded at each time point for analysis.
  3. Diagnoses of alcohol/substance dependence, psychosis, suicidality, or anorexia nervosa: Confirmed through parent DAWBA. DAWBAs that score people as being likely to have these conditions will be second reviewed by the CI (who is a medical expert) to ascertain that they should definitely be excluded from the trial. If the child is considered at immediate risk of suicide, the research team will inform the GP or usual treating clinician.
  4. Moderate/severe intellectual disability: Confirmed through qualitative judgement of the assessor at the telephone screen (and confirmed at baseline through CAIDS-Q) through questions relating to type of school the child attends and previous diagnoses.
  5. Immediate risk to self or others: Confirmed through screening questions and DAWBA. The participants GP will be informed of this.
  6. Parent or child not able to speak or read/write English: Patient confirmed through screening by the assessor.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Exposure Response Prevention for ticsExposure Response Prevention for tics10-weeks, online delivered, therapist supported exposure response prevention (ERP) therapy for tics
Active Control (Psychoeducation)Psychoeducation for tics10-weeks, online delivered, therapist supported psychoeducation for tics
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Assessing change in tics in participants using the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale - Total Tic scoreBaseline, 3, 6, 12 and 18 months

Investigator administered semi structured symptom checklist of 46 tic disorder symptoms. The Total Tic Score is derived by adding the Total Motor Tic Score and the Total Phonic Tic Score

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Assessing change in tic impairment in participants using the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale Impairment Scale (assessing change)Baseline, 3, 6, 12 & 18 months

This forms part of the YGTSS but focuses on distress and impairment experienced in the individuals life

Assessing change in global functioning in participants using the Children's Global Assessment ScaleBaseline, 3, 6, 12 & 18 months

A measure of psychiatric disturbance integrating psychological, social and academic functioning

Assessing change in mood in participants using the Mood and Feelings QuestionnaireBaseline, 1, 3, 6, 12 & 18 months

Child completed, self-report questionnaire collecting information on depressive symptoms

Assessing change in quality of life in participants using the Child Health Utility 9DBaseline, 3, 6,12,18 months

Self-report parent and child completed quality of life measure

Assessing participants change in use of services using the Modified Client Service Receipt InventoryBaseline, 3, 6, 12 & 18 months

A questionnaire to collect information on services received, service related issues, school attendance and family income

Assessing participants change of use of other medication/interventions using a specifically created 'Concomitant interventions' questionnaireBaseline, 3, 6, 12 & 18 months

Assessment of any other treatment or interventions the child or young person is accessing during the study

Determining presence of an intellectual disability at screening/baseline using the Child and Adolescent Intellectual Disability Screening Questionnaire (CAIDS-Q)Screening/Baseline

A 7-item questionnaire to determine the presence of intellectual disability at screening/baseline, completed by the parent/

Assessing change in anxiety in participants using the Spence Child Anxiety ScaleBaseline, 3, 6, 12 & 18 months

Self-report child completed questionnaire evaluating symptoms of separation anxiety, social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, pain, agoraphobia, generalised anxiety and fear of physical injury

Assessing participants perception of treatment credibility using a specifically created 'treatment credibility' questionnaire3 weeks

A two item questionnaire to assess how well the treatment suits children, according to the perception of the 1) parent/carer and 2) child/young person

Describing sample characteristics using Development and Wellbeing Assessment (DAWBA) at screening/baselineScreening/Baseline

The DAWBA is a package of interviews and questionnaires completed by parents and teachers and designed to generate ICD-10 and DSM-IV / DSM-5 psychiatric diagnoses for children and young people.

Assessing change in symptom severity/improvement in participants using the Clinical Global Impressions Scale.3, 6, 12 & 18 months

Clinician determined measure that summarises the patient's history, symptoms, behaviours and psychosocial circumstances

Assessing change in general functioning in participants using the Strengths and Difficulties QuestionnaireBaseline, 3, 6, 12 & 18 months

Self-report, parent completed questionnaire measuring behavioural and emotional difficulties in children. The baseline SDQ is completed as part of a screening tool "DAWBA".

Assessing change in tic-related quality of life in participants using the Child and Adolescent Gilles de la Tourette SyndromeBaseline, 3, 6, 12 & 18 months

A disease specific measure of health related quality of life for children and adolescents with Tourette Syndrome. There are two version, one for children aged 6-12 years and a second for young people aged 3-8 years

Assessing change in side effects in participants using the Adverse events/side effectsBaseline, 1, 3, 6, 12 & 18 months

A 17 item scale of common side effects

Assessing participants perception of their need for further treatment using a specifically created 'Need for further treatment' questionnaire3 months

A single item questionnaire asking if the child or young person requires more treatment for their tics from the perception of the 1) parent/carer and 2) child/young

Assessing Premonitory urges for tics using the Premonitory Urge for Tics Scale (PUTS) at screening/baselineScreening/Baseline

A self-report instrument specifically designed to measure the current frequency of different types of premonitory urges in patients with tic disorders

Assessing ADHD symptoms using the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Rating Scale (SNAP-IV) at screening/baselineScreening/Baseline

A parent completed 26-item behavioural rating scale that employs the core symptoms of ADHD and oppositional defiance disorder (ODD) as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Assessing change in tics in participants using the Parent Tic QuestionnaireBaseline, 5wks, 3mths, 6mths, 12mths & 18 months

Self administered questionnaire to collect the number, frequency and intensity of 14 common motor and 14 common vocal tics

Determining the for presence of Autism Spectrum Disorder using the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) at screening/baselineScreening/Baseline

A 40 item, parent-report questionnaire asking about characteristic autistic behaviour at the age of 4 to 5 years and currently.

Assessing participants perception of treatment satisfaction using a specifically created 'treatment satisfaction' questionnaire3 months

A 7 item scale questionnaire developed for the study to assess treatment satisfaction from the perception of the 1) parent/carer and 2) child/young person

Understanding the characteristics of the sample a specifically created demographics questionnaire at screening/baselineScreening/Baseline

Parent completed questionnaire asking about the child's age, gender, ethnicity, parental education/ occupation, list of the child's current diagnoses and interventions (including medications) and GP and school details.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

🇬🇧

Nottingham, United Kingdom

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