Childhood anxiety disorders are quite common and associated with significant psychosocial impairment and distress. Offering equivalent efficacy to pharmacotherapy without the common side effect profile, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a first line treatment for anxiety disorders in youth. However, dissemination of CBT to community settings is very limited. Effective treatment via traditional CBT often necessitates that the patient travel to a center that specializes in this treatment, and cost can prove an impediment to those of lower socioeconomic status, in particular. As well, differing theoretical approaches and training result in a minority of children with anxiety receiving evidence-based CBT. Accordingly, there is a great need for more widely accessible practices. As such, we are proposing a two phase trial that evaluates the feasibility of implementing a patient-centered intervention in community mental health centers, followed by an efficacy trial. In Phase I, an open trial of computerized CBT (CCBT) will be completed that focuses on feasibility issues of providing this intervention in community mental health centers. Thereafter, we will complete a randomized controlled trial comparing CCBT to treatment as usual (TAU). The open trial will recruit 18 youth ages 7 to 13 years, with the purpose of testing both practicality and management of an already developed CCBT protocol (Kendall &Khanna, 2010). The outcome trial will recruit 110 youth accounting for attrition, with the purpose of measuring the efficacy of the CCBT protocol in front-line settings. Significantly greater symptom reductions in the CCBT group as compared to the TAU group would provide critical evidence for the inclusion of CCBT as a treatment option for anxious youth without immediate access to such in-person care. While this study will be coordinated by the University of South Florida Rothman Center for Neuropsychiatry team, recruitment will take place at three community mental health centers throughout Florida that serve families of lower socioeconomic status. Dr. Andel from the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences at the University of South Florida will provide data management services. Primary outcomes will be assessed by an independent evaluator, and will include change in anxiety symptom severity;response rates;and remission rates. CCBT will follow the Kendall and Khanna (2008b) manual with appropriate integrity checks. The implications of this study are significant, as computerized CBT may enable widespread dissemination of efficacious therapy for childhood anxiety disorders.

Public Health Relevance

Childhood anxiety disorders affect a significant percentage of youth, causing substantial distress and impairment. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the gold standard treatment for youth with an anxiety disorder but its dissemination to community mental health settings is limited. Thus, we propose to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of disseminating a computerized CBT protocol to community mental health centers. An efficacious computer delivered CBT protocol could contribute to public health efforts to address the mental health needs of a large number of children diagnosed with anxiety disorders.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Type
Research Demonstration and Dissemination Projects (R18)
Project #
5R18HS018665-03
Application #
8543647
Study Section
Health Care Quality and Effectiveness Research (HQER)
Program Officer
Nunley, Angela
Project Start
2011-09-30
Project End
2014-09-29
Budget Start
2013-09-30
Budget End
2014-09-29
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of South Florida
Department
Pediatrics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
069687242
City
Tampa
State
FL
Country
United States
Zip Code
33612
McBride, Nicole M; Johnco, Carly; Salloum, Alison et al. (2017) Prevalence and Clinical Differences of Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in a Community Sample of Youth Receiving Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 48:705-713
Salloum, Alison; Johnco, Carly; Lewin, Adam B et al. (2016) Barriers to access and participation in community mental health treatment for anxious children. J Affect Disord 196:54-61
Johnco, Carly; Lewin, Adam B; Salloum, Alison et al. (2016) Adverse Prenatal, Perinatal and Neonatal Experiences in Children with Anxiety Disorders. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 47:317-25
Hamblin, Rebecca J; Lewin, Adam B; Salloum, Alison et al. (2015) Clinical characteristics and predictors of hoarding in children with anxiety disorders. J Anxiety Disord 36:9-14
Salloum, Alison; Crawford, Erika A; Lewin, Adam B et al. (2015) Consumers' and providers' perceptions of utilizing a computer-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy for childhood anxiety. Behav Cogn Psychother 43:31-41
Johnco, Carly J; Salloum, Alison; Lewin, Adam B et al. (2015) Refining Clinical Judgment of Treatment Response and Symptom Remission Identification in Childhood Anxiety Using a Signal Detection Analysis on the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 25:674-83
Storch, Eric A; Salloum, Alison; King, Morgan A et al. (2015) A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL IN COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS OF COMPUTER-ASSISTED COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY VERSUS TREATMENT AS USUAL FOR CHILDREN WITH ANXIETY. Depress Anxiety 32:843-52
Johnco, Carly; Salloum, Alison; De Nadai, Alessandro S et al. (2015) Incidence, clinical correlates and treatment effect of rage in anxious children. Psychiatry Res 229:63-9
Storch, Eric A; Salloum, Alison; Johnco, Carly et al. (2015) Phenomenology and clinical correlates of family accommodation in pediatric anxiety disorders. J Anxiety Disord 35:75-81
Johnco, Carly J; Salloum, Alison; Lewin, Adam B et al. (2015) The impact of comorbidity profiles on clinical and psychosocial functioning in childhood anxiety disorders. Psychiatry Res 229:237-44

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