Managing Childhood Abdominal Pain
| Status: | Active, not recruiting |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Pain |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Musculoskeletal |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 7 - 12 |
| Updated: | 4/21/2016 |
| Start Date: | September 2011 |
| End Date: | May 2016 |
Parent Training to Address Pediatric Functional Abdominal Pain
Functional abdominal pain (FAP) is a common complaint of childhood, associated with
considerable health care costs, disruption of normal activity, emotional distress, and
long-term health effects. The study will test a treatment approach which, if successful,
would substantially change the treatment for FAP and potentially for a wide range of
childhood medical problems where parental responses to symptoms contribute to these adverse
effects. The study would also provide a model which would be much more accessible than
traditional face-to-face therapies to a broader range of families in need than are currently
served.
considerable health care costs, disruption of normal activity, emotional distress, and
long-term health effects. The study will test a treatment approach which, if successful,
would substantially change the treatment for FAP and potentially for a wide range of
childhood medical problems where parental responses to symptoms contribute to these adverse
effects. The study would also provide a model which would be much more accessible than
traditional face-to-face therapies to a broader range of families in need than are currently
served.
Functional Abdominal Pain (FAP) affects 10 to 15% of children and has significant social,
emotional, and financial costs, but no known organic cause and no accepted medical or
behavioral treatment. The researchers have conducted studies that provide support for a
theoretical model in which cognitive-behavioral and social learning processes (modeling
and/or potentially reinforcing responses by parents) may contribute to the maintenance of
illness behaviors and functional disability in children with FAP. The researchers
subsequently tested a social learning and cognitive-behavioral intervention for parent-child
dyads which focused on changing these parent behaviors as well as teaching coping skills to
children. Results support the effectiveness of the intervention and the explanatory value of
the theory, demonstrating that parental change is a key element in reducing children's
symptoms. The proposed study will build on these findings by evaluating a parent-only
intervention. Furthermore, our experience and that of other investigators indicates that
alternative intervention models are needed for wider accessibility to the intervention for
families in need. While a parent-only format is expected to increase accessibility, we will
also evaluate the use of a remote telephone intervention.
emotional, and financial costs, but no known organic cause and no accepted medical or
behavioral treatment. The researchers have conducted studies that provide support for a
theoretical model in which cognitive-behavioral and social learning processes (modeling
and/or potentially reinforcing responses by parents) may contribute to the maintenance of
illness behaviors and functional disability in children with FAP. The researchers
subsequently tested a social learning and cognitive-behavioral intervention for parent-child
dyads which focused on changing these parent behaviors as well as teaching coping skills to
children. Results support the effectiveness of the intervention and the explanatory value of
the theory, demonstrating that parental change is a key element in reducing children's
symptoms. The proposed study will build on these findings by evaluating a parent-only
intervention. Furthermore, our experience and that of other investigators indicates that
alternative intervention models are needed for wider accessibility to the intervention for
families in need. While a parent-only format is expected to increase accessibility, we will
also evaluate the use of a remote telephone intervention.
Inclusion Criteria:
- The child is 7 to 12 years old
- The child experienced at least three episodes of unexplained abdominal pain over a
three month period which affected the child's activities
- The child lived with the primary caregiver for at least the last 3 months
- The child and the parent agree to the conditions of study participation, including
randomization, participation in intervention and follow-up evaluations
- The parent and child comprehend and speak English without assistance
Exclusion Criteria:
- The child has positive physical or laboratory findings which would explain the
abdominal pain
- The child has a chronic disease (e.g. Crohn's, ulcerative colitis, pancreatitis,
diabetes, epilepsy, etc.)
- The child is lactose intolerant
- The child had major surgery in the past year
- The parent or child has developmental disabilities that require full-time special
education or that impair ability to respond to assessment measures
We found this trial at
3
sites
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Univ of North Carolina Carolina’s vibrant people and programs attest to the University’s long-standing place...
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Seattle Children's Hospital Seattle Children’s Hospital specializes in meeting the unique physical, emotional and developmental...
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