Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Separation Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder
Conditions
Brief summary
The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive behaviour therapy program (FRIENDS) for anxiety disorders in children aged 8-15 years who have been referred to child and adolescent mental health clinics in Western Norway.
Detailed description
Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) has been shown to be an efficacious treatment for anxiety disorders in youths when delivered in university settings. However, there is a lack of studies evaluating the effectiveness of CBT in regular clinical settings. The current study will compare a CBT program developed for anxiety in youths (the FRIENDS program by Paula Barrett, Australia), with a wait-list control condition. Group and individual treatment will also be compared in the study. Groups will be divided by age, with younger including 8-12-year-olds, and older 12-15-year-olds. Parents are also involved at the end of all therapy sessions, as well as in separate parent sessions. Assessment and treatment is delivered by clinicians working in seven outpatient clinics in Western Norway. There will be 10 therapy sessions, with booster sessions 4 and 12 weeks later. Effectiveness will be evaluated post-treatment, and at 1 and 5 years follow-up. The study will have a randomized design. Children randomized to the wait-list condition will be offered treatment if they still meet inclusion criteria after the waiting period.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALCognitive behavioural therapy
The FRIENDS program developed by Paula Barrett, 10 weekly sessions of 60-90 minutes, with two additional parent meetings, and booster sessions 4 and 12 weeks after treatment.
Sponsors
University of Bergen
Haukeland University Hospital
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
8 Years to 15 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Meeting DSM-IV criteria for separation anxiety, social anxiety or generalized anxiety disorder based on the ADIS interview schedule
Exclusion criteria
* Pervasive developmental disorders, Selective mutism, Mental retardation * Having severe obsessional/compulsive, conduct or language problems.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Anxiety disorders according to the ADIS-IV C/P interview | Post-treatment and 1 and 5 year follow-up | Diagnostic recovery from inclusion diagnoses and reduction on the clinical severity scale. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Anxiety symptom score according to the Spence Children Anxiety Scale | Post-treatment, 1 and 5 year follow-up |
| Depressive symptoms according to the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire | Post-treatment, 1 and 5 year follow-up |
Countries
Norway
Outcome results
None listed