Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's and ulcerative colitis; IBD), a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents, is often associated with high rates of health care utilization and disability, including school absence. While psychosocial factors are not believed to cause IBD, research suggests they may increase illness-related dysfunction. Prior studies from our group suggest that response to chronic illness is, in part, acquired during childhood through social learning processes and may be modified with psychosocial interventions. Although encouraging results of such interventions have been seen in patients with less severe conditions, well-designed trials of such interventions for children with IBD are lacking.
The aim of the proposed study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial comparing social learning and cognitive behavior therapy (SLCBT) to an education and support condition (ES). 180 children with IBD will be recruited and followed for 12 months. It is hypothesized that SLCBT participants, compared to those in the ES condition, will, at one-year follow-up 1) exhibit greater decreases in IBD symptoms, medical visits for IBD, and functional disability, and greater increases in quality of life; 2) demonstrate greater use of cognitive coping, relaxation and stress management skills, and their parents will demonstrate greater reductions in maladaptive responses to illness behavior; and 3) exhibit greater reductions in anxiety, depression, and somatization. Secondary objectives are to investigate whether other variables, e.g., child age, gender, medical care and psychosocial variables such as social and academic competence, moderate treatment effects, and explore differences between the two groups in hospitalizations and surgeries for IBD, as well as general illness behavior. Data on children's symptoms, illness behaviors, functional disability, health care utilization, parental responses to children's illness behavior, beliefs regarding pain, and life stressors will be collected at baseline, post-treatment, and 3, 6, and 12 months post-treatment from parents and children. Results may lead to innovative interventions for IBD and other chronic childhood medical conditions. ? ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD050345-02
Application #
7502624
Study Section
Behavioral Medicine, Interventions and Outcomes Study Section (BMIO)
Program Officer
Haverkos, Lynne
Project Start
2007-09-28
Project End
2011-06-30
Budget Start
2008-07-01
Budget End
2009-06-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2008
Total Cost
$501,255
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Washington
Department
Type
Schools of Social Work
DUNS #
605799469
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98195
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van Tilburg, Miranda A L; Claar, Robyn Lewis; Romano, Joan M et al. (2017) Psychological Factors May Play an Important Role in Pediatric Crohn's Disease Symptoms and Disability. J Pediatr 184:94-100.e1
Levy, Rona L; van Tilburg, Miranda A L; Langer, Shelby L et al. (2016) Effects of a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Intervention Trial to Improve Disease Outcomes in Children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Inflamm Bowel Dis 22:2134-48
van Tilburg, Miranda A L; Claar, Robyn L; Romano, Joan M et al. (2015) Role of Coping With Symptoms in Depression and Disability: Comparison Between Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Abdominal Pain. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 61:431-6
Langer, Shelby L; Romano, Joan M; Mancl, Lloyd et al. (2014) Parental Catastrophizing Partially Mediates the Association between Parent-Reported Child Pain Behavior and Parental Protective Responses. Pain Res Treat 2014:751097