Topic: Mental Health Research Network, Primary Care Research Network for England
Conditions
Interventions
Group CBT, The treatment package utilises techniques delivered in a group based format. These include cognitive restructuring, anxiety management techniques, systematic desensitization, exposure to fe
Study Entry : Single Randomisation only
Sponsors
Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS FT (UK)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. Participants must fulfill diagnostic criteria for AS, or high functioning autism (Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)), and have been diagnosed with AS or PDD-NOS by a paediatrican, clinical psychologist or psychiatrist. The features of AS and PDD-NOS include difficulties with social interaction marked by problems with nonverbal behaviour, and peer relationships. They also have problems with social reciprocity, coupled with stereotyped patterns of behaviour and interests that may be repetitive, as well as clinically significant difficulties with occupational and social functioning. People with AS generally do not have language developmental delays or intellectual disabilities. Only participants with a current diagnosis of AS or PDDNOS will be considered for inclusion within the trial. We will make use of the Krug Asperger Disorder Index as an aide to confirming diagnosis. 2. Participants must have clinical significant difficulties with anxiety and fulfill diagnostic criteria for one or more of the following disorders: panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia (social anxiety disorder), specific phobias, or generalised anxiety disorder. This will be confirmed through the use of our screening instruments, such as the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety, and an assessment and screening interview. 3. Participants must be aged 16 or over.; Target Gender: Male & Female; Upper Age Limit 65 years ; Lower Age Limit 16 years
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. If suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, or anxiety related to substance misuse. The reason for this exclusion is that people suffering from these disorders may require more specialist intervention as a consequence of the aetiology of these disorders (e.g. trauma and addiction) 2. They have other types of severe mental illness such as psychosis 3. They are currently abusing substances such as alcohol or heroin 4. They have an intellectual disability
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 1. Social Phobia Inventory (Connor et al., 2000) 2. Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (Heimberg et al.) Timepoint(s): Administered on Three Occassions Measured before the intervention starts, after the intervention is finished, and at six months after the intervention has finished | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 1. Resource Use Questionnaire; Timepoint(s): Administered on Three Occassions 2. SF-36 (www.sf-36.org) and EQ-5D (www.euroqol.org) generic health-related quality of life scales.; Timepoint(s): Administered on Three Occassions 3. Social and Emotional Functioning Interview (Informant and Subject Versions; Rutter et al., 1988); Timepoint(s): Administered on Three Occassions 4. Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (Heimberg et al., 1992; Brown et al., 1997), and 5. Fear Questionnaire; Timepoint(s): Administered on Three Occassions Measured before the intervention starts, after the intervention is finished, and at six months after the intervention has finished | — |
Countries
United Kingdom
Outcome results
None listed