TAFF-Psychological Treatment of Separation Anxiety Disorder

University Hospital Basel

Status: Completed

Conditions: Separation Anxiety Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: family based cognitive behavior therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00255112

Trennungsangstprojekt NZX 1303

PP001--68701

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a specific family based cognitive behavioral treatment program is effective in the treatment of children with separation anxiety disorder.

Full description

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders both in adulthood and childhood. Recent research indicates that anxiety disorders in childhood and in particular Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) increase the risk of mental disorders in adulthood. Despite these results research on SAD is still limited compared to the vast research activity on adult anxiety disorders. The proposed research program will close a gap of current international research: It will test the efficacy of a family based cognitive behavioral treatment program specific for SAD.

The research program consists of two parts. One study is aimed at children with SAD aged 5 to 7. 40 children are randomly allocated immediately to SAD-specific family-based treatment or to a wait list. For the second study 60 children with SAD (8 to 13 years old) are randomly allocated to either SAD-specific family-based treatment ("SAD-CBT") or a well established global CBT program for childhood anxiety disorders ("global CBT").

In both studies treatment success is tested at the end of treatment as well as 4 weeks and 1, 2 and 3 years after treatment.

Enrollment: 64 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 5 to 13 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Primary diagnosis of SAD
• Age 5 to 13 years
• Knowledge of German language
• Consent to randomization and psychological testing

Exclusion criteria

• Comorbid Pervasive Developmental Disorders
• Active psychotropic drugs

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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64 participants in 2 patient groups

1

No Intervention group

Description:

The present study evaluates the efficacy of a family-based CBT treatment specifically tailored to children with SAD, developed at the University of Basel. The study consists of 40 participants (5-7 years old) with SAD and their families. Participants were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of SAD-specific family-based CBT treatment or to waitlist condition.

2

Active Comparator group

Description:

The present study evaluates the efficacy of a family-based CBT treatment specifically tailored to children with SAD, developed at the University of Basel in comparison to a global CBT treatment. The study consists of 60 participants (between 8 and 13 years old), randomly assigned to one of the two treatments.

Treatment:

Behavioral: family based cognitive behavior therapy