Plain English Summary
Background and study aims
Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental disorders in pre-adolescent children. International prevalence rates range from 2.6% to 41.2%. This study examines whether there is a difference between a father or a mother helping their children overcome anxiety disorders by means of Cognitive Behavioral Parent Training (CBPT). The extent to whether changes in parents own anxiety, their parenting, and sense of parental competence are related to a reduction in childrens anxiety levels is investigated.
Who can participate?
Fathers and mothers of anxiety disorder children of 7-12 years old participated in the study.
What does the study involve?
Effectiveness of Father and Mother CBPT was compared and the training had the same format and content for fathers and mothers.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
There were no risks to participants. The treatment of childrens anxiety disorders might have benefited from enrolling in the study.
Where is the study run from?
The study was run in the University of Amsterdams mental health clinic for children and parents (Netherlands).
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
Between November 2007 and April 2010.
Who is funding the study?
The study was funded by the Research Institute Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam (Netherlands).
Who is the main contact?
Dr Corine van der Bruggen
c.o.vanderbruggen@uva.nl
Trial website
Contact information
Type
Scientific
Primary contact
Dr Corine van der Bruggen
ORCID ID
Contact details
University of Amsterdam
Research Institute Child Development and Education
PO BOX 94208
Amsterdam
1090 GE
Netherlands
c.o.vanderbruggen@uva.nl
Additional identifiers
EudraCT number
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Protocol/serial number
ecpow11-2007
Study information
Scientific title
Effects of targeting fathers versus mothers in cognitive behavioral parent training for parents of children with an anxiety disorder
Acronym
Study hypothesis
This study compares father cognitive behavioral parent training (CBPT) and mother CBPT for parents of children with an anxiety disorder, in order to investigate:
1. Whether father or mother CBPT is more effective in decreasing anxiety levels in children in the short and longer term
2. The extent to whether changes in parents own anxiety, their parenting, and sense of parental competence is related to a reduction in childrens anxiety levels in the short and longer term
Ethics approval
Ethics Commission of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, 1 November 2007
Study design
A single centre interventional randomized controlled longitudinal trial
Primary study design
Interventional
Secondary study design
Randomised controlled trial
Trial setting
Hospitals
Trial type
Treatment
Patient information sheet
Not availabe in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Condition
Childhood anxiety disorders
Intervention
The cognitive behavioral parent training (CBPT) is based on earlier work of Bögels and Siqueland (2006) and Bodden et al. (2008).
The training consists of 2 hour group meetings once a week for 6 weeks. Father and mother CBPT has the same format and content. Its main ingredients are:
1. Psycho-education
2. Challenging anxious thoughts
3. Exposure with a reward system
4. Parenting behaviors
5. Courageous modeling
6. Acting as a parent-team
The therapists ware trained clinical psychologists. The first follow-up period is 6 weeks, the second is 6 months after the CBPT finished.
Intervention type
Other
Phase
Not Applicable
Drug names
Primary outcome measure
1. Diagnostic status of the children using the Anxiety Disorder Interview Schedule Child and Parent versions (ADIS C/P) (Silverman & Albano, 1996). To consider change in the number of anxiety disorders and their interference their combination was examined (number of anxiety disorders × mean interference).
2. Childrens anxiety symptoms using the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED-71). Child, father, and mother completed the SCARED-71 (Bodden et al., 2009), and their reports were aggregated into an overall score for child anxiety symptoms.
Secondary outcome measures
1. Parenting behavior using the Parental Rearing Questionnaire (PRQ). Father and mother completed a self- and partner-report version of the subscales autonomy granting, overcontrol, and rejection of the PRQ (Bögels & Van Melick, 2004; new subscale structure Verhoeven, Bögels, Van der Bruggen, 2011). Self- and partner-report were aggregated into an overall score of parents autonomy granting, overcontrol, and rejection.
2. Challenging parenting behavior using the questionnaire Challenging Parenting Behavior (Majdandzic, De Vente, & Bögels, 2010). Father and mother completed a self- and partner-report version. Self- and partner-report were aggregated into an overall score of parents challenging behavior.
3. Parents' sense of competence using the Sense of Competence subscale of Parenting Stress Index (PSI; Abidin, 1983; De Brock, Vermulst, Gerris, & Abidin, 1992). Father and mother completed a self-report version.
4. Parents own anxiety using the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders Adult version (SCARED-A; Bögels & Van Melick, 2004). Father and mother completed a self-report version.
Overall trial start date
01/11/2007
Overall trial end date
01/05/2010
Reason abandoned (if study stopped)
Eligibility
Participant inclusion criteria
1. Fathers and mothers of anxiety disorder children of 7-12 years old, referred or recruited by community announcement
2. The child having a primary anxiety disorder on the Anxiety Disorder Interview Schedule (ADIS) [Silverman & Albano, 1996]
3. Both parents willing and able to participate in CBPT
Participant type
Patient
Age group
Adult
Gender
Both
Target number of participants
21 fathers and 27 mothers of anxiety disorder children (26 boys and 22 girls)
Participant exclusion criteria
1. Prior child CBT and no parent treatment in relation to the childs anxiety
2. Other severe psychiatric problems that might interfere with treatment
Recruitment start date
01/11/2007
Recruitment end date
01/05/2010
Locations
Countries of recruitment
Netherlands
Trial participating centre
University of Amsterdam
Amsterdam
1090 GE
Netherlands
Sponsor information
Organisation
University of Amsterdam (UK)
Sponsor details
Research Institute Child Development and Education
PO BOX 94208
Amsterdam
1090 GE
Netherlands
s.m.bogels@uva.nl
Sponsor type
University/education
Website
Funders
Funder type
University/education
Funder name
Research Institute Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
Not provided at time of registration
Intention to publish date
Participant level data
Not provided at time of registration
Basic results (scientific)
Publication list