Parent Training for Youth With Chronic Symptoms

Yale University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Medically Unexplained Symptoms

Treatments: Behavioral: Parent training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04277715

2000027265

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a parent-only, group-based intervention intended to treat youth with chronic, unexplained medical symptoms such as (but not limited to) chronic fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, headache, and abdominal pain. Prior to and following the intervention, the child and parent(s) will be asked to complete several questionnaires about their well-being and functioning. The investigators predict that participation in this intervention will lead to change in relevant outcomes, including youth symptoms and functional impairment, and parenting stress and accommodation of symptoms. The investigators also predict that this group will be acceptable and feasible for parents.

Enrollment: 16 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 10 to 17 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Presence of medically unexplained symptoms, including: fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, chronic Lyme disease, irritable bowel syndrome, musculoskeletal pain, headache, abdominal pain and related bowel dysfunction, perceived cognitive impairment, or other nonspecific symptoms
• Symptoms must have been present for at least 3 months, associated with some degree of impairment (e.g., missing school), and not attributable to a known organic or medical disorder despite adequate evaluation
• Participants must be proficient or fluent in English
• Children must live with their participating parent(s) at least 50% of the time

Exclusion criteria

• Presence of a serious medical condition by history, including chronic autoimmune or inflammatory condition
• Lifetime history of a psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, Autism, or intellectual disability (Note: this criterion applies to child and parent(s))
• Presence of severe emotional or behavioral problems that require a more immediate treatment

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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16 participants in 1 patient group

Parent training

Experimental group

Description:

Parents of participating children with chronic symptoms will receive the intervention in a virtual group format. Groups will last 90-minutes and run for 6-8 weeks. Groups will be co-led by a clinical psychologist and pediatric physician with expertise in child behavioral interventions and medically unexplained symptoms.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Parent training