Internet-Delivered CBT for Children With Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders

Karolinska Institute

Status: Completed

Conditions: Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders

Treatments: Behavioral: Internet-delivered Cognitive behavior therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02873078

RCT ICBT FAPD

Details and patient eligibility

About

This randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the efficacy of exposure-based Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy for children 8-12 years with Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders. The children participate along with their parents, who will also receive specific modules with information on how to support their children in the treatment. Predictors and mediators for treatment effects will be studied as well as the cost effectiveness of the intervention.

Enrollment: 91 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 8 to 12 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Children 8-12 years with either irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia or functional abdominal pain - not otherwise specified diagnosed according to Rome-III or Rome-IV criteria.
• Psychopharmacological medication stable for at least a month if medicating.
• Child and at least one parent speaking and writing swedish.
• Access to computer with Internet connection.

Exclusion criteria

• Severe somatic disorder and/or if the child fulfills criteria of other disorder that better explains the abdominal symptoms.
• Severe psychiatric or social problems that needs other care.
• Ongoing psychological treatment.
• School absenteeism more than 40 %.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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91 participants in 2 patient groups

Internet-delivered CBT

Experimental group

Description:

Children and parents will receive 10 weekly modules of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Parents will also receive 10 weekly modules. Main components in the children's modules are exposure for abdominal symptoms, feared stimuli and situations in which the children are afraid of having symptoms. The parental receive information on how they can support their children in the treatment and how to reinforce health y behaviors and decrease attention to pain behaviors. Therapist support is provided through written messages within the secure platform.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Internet-delivered Cognitive behavior therapy

Waiting list

No Intervention group

Description:

This is a wait-list control where the children and parents are allowed to carry on with any contacts within the health-care system, exempt for psychological treatments.