None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The aim of this trial is to examine whether 50mg of DCS can augment a single session of graded exposure therapy in children suffering from spider or dog phobia. The researchers are particularly interested in whether treatment gains can be maintained one week later both within and outside of the treatment context, as measured by Behavioral Approach Tests. The researchers hypothesize that children who receive the DCS in addition to exposure therapy will be less fearful of spiders or dogs one week later both within and outside of the treatment context.
Interventions
Single Exposure Therapy Session for Spider Phobia or Dog Phobia + 50mg D-cycloserine Exposure Therapy: All children will receive a single graded exposure therapy session for their spider or dog phobia which last about three hours. A parent will be in the room throughout the treatment. During the treatment the child and therapist will “work as a team” to complete a “fear hierarchy” of steps that increase the child’s proximity or contact with a live, non-poisonous spider or dog (e.g. first step: s
Single Exposure Therapy Session for Spider Phobia or Dog Phobia + 50mg D-cycloserine Exposure Therapy: All children will receive a single graded exposure therapy session for their spider or dog phobia which last about three hours. A parent will be in the room throughout the treatment. During the treatment the child and therapist will “work as a team” to complete a “fear hierarchy” of steps that increase the child’s proximity or contact with a live, non-poisonous spider or dog (e.g. first step: stand 10 feet away from a boxed spider or leashed dog, final step: allow the spider to walk on your bare hand or pet the dog). At each step the therapist will model the actions or step that he wants the child to complete and then encourage the child to complete it them self. At each step the child will be asked to report their level of anxiety using a visual feeling thermometer. The therapist will encourage the child to remain at the step until they report at least a 50% reduction in their anxiety. The treatment will continue until the final step of the fear hierarchy is complete or the child does not wish to continue. The treatment involves little talking therapy, however , the therapist will encourage the child to draw conclusions regarding their safety after each step (e.g. “so did the spider attack you when you came close after all?”). The success of therapy is contingent upon the child’s co-operation and motivation throughout treatment. Therefore, the therapist will not make the child do anything he or she does not want to do. This is a clinically standard and empirically validated treatment for specific fears in children. D-Cycloserine: A single oral 50mg capsule of D-Cycloserine (DCS) administered 1 hour before exposure therapy.
Sponsors
Macquarie University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
8 Years to 14 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
A Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (4th ed.) diagnosis of Spider or Dog Phobia.
Exclusion criteria
The child must not have a comorbid diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder or symptoms of Psychosis and/or Severe Anxiety (e.g. panic symptoms unrelated to spider phobia). The child must not have a history of Epilepsy, Liver Disesase or Kidney Disease. The child must not be taking any psychotropic medication (e.g. antidepressants, tranquilizing medications etc.). The child must not be receiving additional psychotherapy for spider phobia.
Outcome results
None listed