Testing a CBT Program for Anxiety in Teenagers With Autism: A Feasibility Study

University of Aarhus

Status: Completed

Conditions: Anxiety; Autism

Treatments: Behavioral: Cool Kids (Chilled) Anxiety program adapted to children and youths with autism and anxiety disorders.

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04838912

1-16-02-37-21

Details and patient eligibility

About

The objective is to investigate the feasibility of a newly developed manualised group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) programme for anxiety in 15 teenagers (aged 13-17 years) with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Our aim is to focus primarily on acceptability and compliance with the program with some investigation of treatment effects on anxiety diagnosis and anxiety symptoms.

Enrollment: 15 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 14 to 18 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Fulfil the diagnostic criteria for one or more anxiety diagnoses on the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV: Parent & Child interview schedule (ADIS C/P)
• Obtained a diagnosis of ASD according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition (ICD 10)

Exclusion criteria

• low intellectual functioning (<70)
• active psychosis
• untreated hyperkinetic disorder
• inability to speak Danish
• inability to leave the home
• inability to attend a group setting
• inability to meet for treatment caused by other psychiatric disorders.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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15 participants in 1 patient group

Cool Kids ASA

Experimental group

Description:

The Cool Kids (Chilled) ASA anxiety program

Treatment:

Behavioral: Cool Kids (Chilled) Anxiety program adapted to children and youths with autism and anxiety disorders.