The Fear of Asthma Symptoms Scale and the Asthma Behavior Checklist: preliminary validity of two novel patient reported outcome measures.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the preliminary validity of two novel scales, the Fear of Asthma Symptoms scale (FAS) and the Asthma Behavior Checklist (ABC). Methods: Using cross-sectional design, data was collected online from 188 adult participants (Age 18-71 years) with a diagnosis of asthma and self-reported anxiety related to asthma, recruited through social media. Confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency and test-retest reliability were ascertained to address validity.Results: The confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated convergent validity for both the FAS (average variance extracted; AVE=.57) and the item-reduced ABC-8 (AVE=.61) as well as divergent validity for both scales. Both scales demonstrated high internal consistency (FAS: α = 0.94; ABC-8: α = 0.92). Test-retest reliability assessed after 1 week was good (FAS: r=.85; ABC-8: r=.88).Conclusions: We observed promising psychometric properties of the FAS and the ABC-8. The two novel scales could be useful to identify excessive fear and avoidance in patients with asthma and to investigate putative mechanisms in clinical research on anxiety related to asthma. Further evaluation of psychometric properties in independent samples are needed.

Psychological treatments for irritable bowel syndrome: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.

A wide range of psychological treatments have been found to reduce the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) but their relative effects are unclear. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we determined the effects of psychological treatments for IBS, including subtypes of cognitive behavior therapy, versus attention controls. We searched 11 databases (March 2022) for studies of psychological treatments for IBS, reported in journal articles, books, dissertations, and conference abstracts. The resulting database comprised 9 outcome domains from 118 studies published in 1983-2022. Using data from 62 studies and 6496 participants, we estimated the effect of treatment type on improvement in composite IBS severity using random-effects meta-regression. In comparison with the attention controls, there was a significant added effect of exposure therapy (g = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.17-0.88) and hypnotherapy (g = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.06-0.67) when controlling for the pre- to post-assessment duration. When additional potential confounders were included, exposure therapy but not hypnotherapy retained a significant added effect. Effects were also larger with a longer duration, individual treatment, questionnaire (non-diary) outcomes, and recruitment outside of routine care. Heterogeneity was substantial. Tentatively, exposure therapy appears to be a particularly promising treatment for IBS. More direct comparisons in randomized controlled trials are needed. OSF.io identifier: 5yh9a.

Validation of child-adapted short scales for measuring gastrointestinal-specific avoidance and anxiety.

AIM: To validate child-adapted shortened versions of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Behavioural Responses Questionnaire (IBS-BRQ; short scale denoted BRQ-C) and the Visceral Sensitivity Index (VSI; short scale denoted VSI-C) for children with functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs). METHODS: A child psychologist supervised by a child gastroenterologist was responsible for shortening the scales (BRQ-C, 11 items; and VSI-C, 7 items). Then, a sample of 89 children aged 8-12 years with FAPDs was used in the validation. Construct validity was assessed with correlations. Measures included gastrointestinal symptoms, quality of life, pain intensity and anxiety. Also, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, administration time and factor structure were assessed. RESULTS: Internal consistency for the BRQ-C and the VSI-C was α = 0.84 and α = 0.80, respectively. Correlations with related scales were similar between child-adapted scales and original scales, indicating construct validity equivalence. Correlations between short scales and original scales were high. Mean administration time was reduced by 47% (BRQ-C) and 42% (VSI-C), compared with original scales. Test-retest reliability was r = 0.72 for BRQ-C and r = 0.83 for VSI-C. BRQ-C had two factors (Avoidance and Bowel control). VSI-C had a unifactorial structure. CONCLUSION: The BRQ-C and the VSI-C were found to be time-saving, reliable and valid for children with FAPDs.

Development and preliminary evaluation of the psychometric properties of the psychological flexibility in epilepsy questionnaire (PFEQ).

The present study describes the development and preliminary psychometric evaluation of the Psychological Flexibility in Epilepsy Questionnaire (PFEQ), which was developed to measure the construct referred to as Psychological Flexibility (PF) in epilepsy. Results from 81 participants with epilepsy support a one-factor solution, consisting of 12 items, indicating a satisfactory structure and reliability with an alpha coefficient of 0.92. Criterion validity of the instrument was supported by moderate correlations with outcomes predicting quality of life, PF in the general population, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms. Number of seizures in the past three and 12 months was positively correlated with scores on the PFEQ. These findings are consistent with the instrument's underlying theory. Further development and investigation of the PFEQ is recommended, as the preliminary results of the questionnaire suggest that the scale has the potential to be a valuable contribution to the future exploration of the role of PF in epilepsy.

Exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy for anxiety related to asthma: A feasibility study with multivariate baseline design.

In the presence of asthma, the risk of having an anxiety disorder is increased twofold. The few trials conducted on cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for anxiety and asthma have mainly targeted panic disorder, and with mixed results. Experimental laboratory research indicates that increased anxiety may lead to hypervigilance toward asthma. Hence, fear and avoidance associated with increased anxiety due to asthma may be an important treatment target. A treatment that learn participants to differentiate between anxiety and asthma through gradual exposure to situations that risk triggering anxiety for asthma may be a possible avenue. As a first step to investigate this issue further, we developed a 10-week exposure-based CBT protocol for anxiety related to asthma and tested it in six participants using multivariate baseline design with repeated assessments throughout treatment. All participants reported satisfaction with treatment, as well as subjective overall improvement after treatment. Visual analysis, using graphs over each individual's trajectory, as well as potential efficacy on group level analyzing standardized mean change, indicated improvements in important outcomes. We conclude that exposure-based CBT is feasible and may improve anxiety related to asthma. Further investigation under randomized controlled trial conditions is warranted.

Clinical and Cost Effectiveness of Online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Children With Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Scalable and effective treatments are needed for children with functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs). We performed a randomized controlled trial of the efficacy and cost effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy delivered online (Internet-CBT) compared with usual therapy. METHODS: We studied children (age, 8-12 y) diagnosed with FAPDs, based on the Rome IV criteria, in Sweden from September 2016 through April 2017. The patients were assigned randomly to groups that received 10 weeks of therapist-guided, internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (Internet-CBT, n = 46) or treatment as usual (treatments within the health care and school systems, including medications and visits to doctors and other health care professionals; n = 44). The primary outcome was global child-rated gastrointestinal symptom severity assessed using the Pediatric Quality of Life Gastrointestinal Symptom scale. All outcomes were collected from September 2016 through January 2018. Secondary outcomes included quality of life, gastrointestinal-specific anxiety, avoidance behaviors, and parental responses to children's symptoms. Societal costs and costs for health care consumption were collected during the treatment. RESULTS: Children who received Internet-CBT had a significantly larger improvement in gastrointestinal symptom severity with a medium effect size (Cohen's d = 0.46; 95% CI, 0.05-0.88; number needed to treat, 3.8) compared with children who received the treatment as usual. The children's quality of life, gastrointestinal-specific anxiety, avoidance behaviors, and parental responses to children's symptoms also improved significantly in the Internet-CBT group compared with the treatment as usual group. The effects of Internet-CBT persisted through 36 weeks of follow-up evaluation. Children who received Internet-CBT had significantly less health care use than children who received treatment as usual, with an average cost difference of US $137 (P = .011). We calculated a cost savings of US $1050 for every child treated with Internet-CBT compared with treatment as usual. CONCLUSIONS: In a randomized trial of pediatric patients with FAPDs, we found Internet-CBT to be clinically cost effective compared with treatment as usual. Internet-CBT has the potential to increase the availability of treatment for a number of patients and reduce health care costs. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02873078.

Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Adolescents With Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES: Few treatments have been able to effectively manage pediatric irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (Internet-CBT) based on exposure for abdominal symptoms is effective for adult IBS. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Internet-CBT based on behavioral exposure for adolescents with IBS. METHODS: Adolescents with IBS fulfilling the Rome III criteria were randomized to either Internet-CBT or a wait-list control. The Internet-CBT was a 10-week intervention where the main component was exposure to IBS symptoms by reduction of avoidance of abdominal symptoms and instead stepwise provocation of symptoms. The primary outcome was total score on Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale for IBS (GSRS-IBS). Secondary outcomes included adolescent- and parent-rated quality of life and parent-rated gastrointestinal symptoms. Difference between groups was assessed from pretreatment to posttreatment and the Internet-CBT group was also evaluated at 6 months after treatment completion. RESULTS: A total of 101 adolescents with IBS (13-17 years of age) were included in this study. Dropout rates were low (6%) and all randomized patients were included in intent-to-treat analyses based on mixed effects models. Analyses showed a significant larger pretreatment to posttreatment change on the primary outcome GSRS-IBS (B=-6.42, P=0.006, effect size Cohen's d=0.45, 95% confidence interval (0.12, 0.77)) and on almost all secondary outcomes for the Internet-CBT group compared with the control group. After 6 months, the results were stable or significantly improved. CONCLUSIONS: Internet-CBT based on exposure exercises for adolescents with IBS can effectively improve gastrointestinal symptoms and quality of life.

Internet-delivered cognitive-behaviour therapy for anxiety related to asthma: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: There is an established association between asthma and anxiety. The overlap between asthma symptoms and symptoms of anxiety may cause individuals to overestimate their asthma severity and restrict their daily activities leading to a low quality of life. There is currently weak evidence for treatments targeting anxiety related to asthma, but cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) has shown some promising but mixed results. The current randomised controlled trial will investigate if exposure-based internet-delivered CBT (Internet-CBT) is more effective than treatment as usual+medical education (TAU+ME) to relieve symptoms of anxiety and asthma control. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: 90 participants will be randomised 1:1 to 8 weeks of Internet-CBT or TAU+ME. The primary outcome, the patient-reported Catastrophising Asthma Scale, will be analysed from baseline to the primary endpoint at 16 weeks using hierarchical linear mixed model of the slope over time. Secondary outcomes, such as asthma control, quality of life and forced expiratory volume in 1 s, will be analysed correspondingly. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: All participants will be informed about the study and leave their consent before study entry. All results will be analysed at group level and reported through publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal within the field. The study received ethical approval by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority in January 2020 (ID: 2019-05985; 2022-01117-02). TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT04230369).

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Improves Quality of Life in Patients With Symptomatic Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is often associated with troubling symptoms leading to impaired quality of life (QoL) and high health care use. Symptom preoccupation, that is, fear of cardiac-related symptoms and avoidance behavior, potentially contributes to disability in AF but is not targeted by current interventions. OBJECTIVES: We sought to evaluate the effect of online cognitive behavior therapy (AF-CBT) on QoL in patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF. METHODS: Patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF (n = 127) were randomly assigned to receive AF-CBT (n = 65) or standardized AF education (n = 62). Online AF-CBT lasted 10 weeks and was therapist guided. The main components were exposure to cardiac-related symptoms and reduction of AF-related avoidance behavior. Patients were evaluated at baseline, posttreatment, and at the 3-month follow-up. Primary outcome was AF-specific QoL as assessed by the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality of Life summary score (range: 0-100) at the 3-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes included AF-specific health care consumption and AF burden assessed by 5-day continuous electrocardiogram recording. The AF-CBT group was followed for 12 months. RESULTS: AF-CBT led to large improvements in AF-specific QoL (Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality of Life summary score) by 15.0 points (95% CI: 10.1-19.8; P < 0.001). Furthermore, AF-CBT reduced health care consumption by 56% (95% CI: 22-90; P = 0.025). The AF burden remained unchanged. Results on self-assessed outcomes were sustained 12 months after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF, online CBT led to large improvements in AF-specific QoL and reduced health care use. If these results are replicated, online CBT may constitute an important addition to AF management. (Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation; NCT03378349).

Online Guided Self-help Cognitive Behavioral Therapy With Exposure to Anxiety and Problem Solving in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: Case Study.

BACKGROUND: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is dependent on self-care to avoid short- and long-term complications. There are several problem areas in diabetes that could be addressed by psychological interventions, such as suboptimal problem-solving strategies and fear of hypoglycemia. There is empirical support for a few psychological interventions, most often cognitive behavioral therapy, with various treatment aims. However, these interventions are largely unavailable in regular diabetes health care. Online guided self-help cognitive behavioral therapy could help achieve greater outreach. OBJECTIVE: We tested a manualized treatment in the early stage for further development, with the long-term aim to increase access to care. The purpose of this report was to show the potential of this newly developed online intervention by describing 2 illustrative cases. METHODS: An online guided self-help cognitive behavioral therapy protocol featuring problem solving and exposure was developed. The treatment was administered from a secure online platform and lasted for 8 weeks. Case 1 was a male participant. He had a number of diabetes-related complications and was worried about his future. He reported that he had a general idea that he needed to change his lifestyle but found it difficult to get started. Case 2 was a female participant. She had fear of hypoglycemia and unhelpful avoidance behaviors. She kept her blood glucose levels unhealthily high in order to prevent hypoglycemic episodes. Furthermore, she avoided contact with diabetes health care. RESULTS: The 2 participants showed clinically significant improvements in their most relevant problem areas. In case 1, the participant's blood glucose levels reduced, and he was able to establish healthy routines, such as increase physical exercise and decrease overeating. In case 2, the participant's fear of hypoglycemia greatly decreased, and she was able to confront many of her avoided situations and increase necessary visits to her diabetes clinic. Treatment satisfaction was high, and no adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to deliver a cognitive behavioral therapy intervention aimed at problem areas in diabetes online. Problem solving appears to help with problems in everyday routines and lifestyle choices. Exposure to aversive stimuli appears to be a plausible intervention specifically aimed at the fear of hypoglycemia. Larger and controlled studies are needed.

Parental responses and catastrophizing in online cognitive behavioral therapy for pediatric functional abdominal pain: A mediation analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To test if decreased parental protective behaviors, monitoring behaviors, and parental catastrophizing mediate relief of gastrointestinal symptoms in children 8-12 years with functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs). The study uses secondary data analyses of a randomized controlled trial in which exposure-based online cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) was found superior to treatment as usual in decreasing gastrointestinal symptoms. Methods: The ICBT included 10 weekly modules for children and 10 weekly modules for parents. Treatment as usual consisted of any medication, dietary adjustments, and healthcare visits that the participants engaged in during 10 weeks. All measures were self-assessed online by parents. Biweekly assessments of the Adult Responses to Children's Symptoms (ARCS), Protect and Monitor subscales, and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, parental version (PCS-P) were included in univariate and multivariate growth models to test their mediating effect on the child's gastrointestinal symptoms assessed with the Pediatric Quality of Life Gastrointestinal Symptoms Scale (PedsQL). Results: A total of 90 dyads of children with FAPDs and their parents were included in the study, of which 46 were randomized to ICBT and 44 to treatment as usual. The PCS-P was found to mediate change in the PedsQL ab = 0.639 (95% CI 0.020-2.331), while the ARCS Monitor ab = 0.472 (95% CI -1.002 to 2.547), and Protect ab = -0.151 (95% CI -1.455 to 0.674) were not mediators of change. Conclusions: To target parental catastrophizing in ICBT for pediatric FAPDs is potentially important to reduce abdominal symptoms in children.

Breaking the vicious circle of fear and avoidance in children with abdominal pain: A mediation analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy via internet (Internet-CBT) has been shown to reduce symptoms and increase quality of life for children with functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs), but the mechanisms of change are unknown. The objective was to examine whether a change in symptom-specific fear and avoidance, i.e., gastrointestinal-specific anxiety (GI-anxiety) and gastrointestinal-specific avoidance (GI-avoidance), mediated changes in parent-reported abdominal symptoms for children receiving Internet-CBT compared with children receiving treatment as usual. A further aim was to assess if baseline levels of the proposed mediators moderated the mediation. METHODS: Weekly assessments of child-reported mediators and parent-reported outcome from 90 children aged 8-12 who were included in a randomized controlled trial were used in univariate and multivariate growth models to test the direct effect of treatment on outcome and the indirect effects via mediators and moderated mediation. RESULTS: Treatment condition significantly predicted the slope of the mediators (a-path), in favor of Internet-CBT, and mediators were correlated with the outcome (b-path). The indirect effects of the mediators on the outcome (cross-product of the a and b-paths) were significantly different from zero for both GI-avoidance, ab = 1.43, 95%CI [0.42, 3.23]; and GI-anxiety ab = 1.58, 95%CI [0.43, 3.62]. Baseline levels of the proposed mediators moderated the size of the mediation. CONCLUSIONS: GI-anxiety and GI-avoidance were mediators of change in Internet-CBT and high levels of the mediators at baseline were associated with larger mediated effects. Healthcare professionals should be aware of, and inform families about, the potential benefits of reducing symptom-specific fear and avoidance.

Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Atopic Dermatitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

IMPORTANCE: Atopic dermatitis is a common and debilitating skin condition characterized by intense itching and chronic inflammation. Research on behavioral treatments with high accessibility is needed. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of a highly scalable internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for adults with atopic dermatitis. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This randomized clinical trial from a medical university in Stockholm, Sweden, included 102 adults with atopic dermatitis, recruited from across Sweden, who received 12 weeks of internet-delivered CBT (March 29, 2017, to February 16, 2018). The first participant provided screening data on November 27, 2016, and the last 1-year follow-up assessment was conducted on June 28, 2019. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to 12 weeks of therapist-guided internet-delivered CBT (n = 51) or a control condition (n = 51) that gave instructions about standard care. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was the between-group difference in mean reduction of atopic dermatitis symptoms as measured by the Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure and modeled intention to treat during the 12-week treatment period. RESULTS: A total of 102 participants (mean [SD] age, 37 [11] years; 83 [81%] female) were recruited and randomized. The primary analysis indicated that participants receiving internet-delivered CBT, relative to the controls, had a significantly larger mean weekly reduction in symptoms of atopic dermatitis as measured with the Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (B = 0.32; 95% CI, 0.14-0.49; P < .001), with a moderate to large, controlled effect size after treatment (d = 0.75; 95% CI, 0.32-1.16). Secondary analyses indicated that internet-delivered CBT also produced significantly larger reductions in itch intensity, perceived stress, sleep problems, and depression. Gains were sustained at 12 months of follow-up. Treatment satisfaction was high, and therapists spent a mean (SD) of 39.7 (34.7) minutes per treated patient providing internet-delivered CBT. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Internet-delivered CBT appears to be efficacious for reducing symptoms of atopic dermatitis, despite requiring minimal therapist resources. Thus, internet-delivered CBT has the potential to increase access to effective adjunct behavioral treatment for patients with this common skin condition. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03051958.

Targeting excessive avoidance behavior to reduce anxiety related to asthma: A feasibility study of an exposure-based treatment delivered online.

There is an established relationship between anxiety and asthma, which is associated with poor health outcomes. Most previous cognitive behavior therapies (CBT) have focused on comorbid panic disorder whereas anxiety related to asthma may rather be illness-specific. The feasibility of an online CBT targeting avoidance behavior in anxiety related to asthma was evaluated, using a pretest-posttest design. Thirty participants with self-reported anxiety related to asthma were offered an eight-week treatment with therapist support. Mean adherence was good (80% of content), and most participants (89%) reported adequate relief after treatment. Catastrophizing about asthma (CAS), assessed at 2 months after treatment, improved significantly with a large effect size (Cohen's d = 1.52). All secondary outcomes, including asthma control, avoidance behavior, fear of asthma symptoms and quality of life, improved significantly with moderate to large effect sizes (d: 0.40-1.44). All improvements were stable at 4 months follow up. Weekly ratings showed that a decrease in avoidance behavior predicted a decrease in CAS the following week throughout the treatment period. We conclude that CBT targeting avoidance behavior is a feasible treatment for anxiety related to asthma. The results justify investigation of efficacy and mechanisms of change in a randomized controlled trial. ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03486756.

Internet-Delivered Exposure-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents With Functional Abdominal Pain or Functional Dyspepsia: A Feasibility Study.

Functional abdominal pain (FAP) and functional dyspepsia (FD) are common in adolescents and associated with low quality of life. Exposure-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is efficient for adult and adolescent irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but has never been evaluated for adolescent FAP/FD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and potential efficacy of a novel disorder-specific Internet-delivered CBT (Internet-CBT) for adolescents with FAP or FD, using an uncontrolled open pilot including 31 adolescents. The Internet-CBT consisted of 10 weekly online modules, which focused mainly on exposure to abdominal symptoms. Parents received modules to help them reduce unhelpful parental behaviors. Participants reported the treatment to be credible, and an overall satisfaction with the treatment. Data attrition rate was low (7%) and adherence to treatment was acceptable. We saw a significant and large effect on the primary outcome, pain intensity, at posttreatment (d = 1.20, p < .001) that was further improved after 6 months (d = 1.69, p < .001). Participants also made significant and large improvements on gastrointestinal symptoms (d = 0.84, p < .001) and quality of life (d = 0.84, p < .001) that were sustained or further improved at follow-up 6 months after treatment. This study demonstrated that exposure-based Internet-CBT, tailored for adolescents with FAP or FD, is a feasible treatment that potentially improves pain intensity, gastrointestinal symptoms, and quality of life.

Cost-effectiveness of internet-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy for adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether exposure-based internet-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy (internet-CBT) is a cost-effective treatment for adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) compared with a waitlist control, from a societal perspective, based on data from a randomised trial. DESIGN: Within-trial cost-effectiveness analysis. SETTING: Participants were recruited from the whole of Sweden via primary, secondary and tertiary care clinics reached through news media and advertising. PARTICIPANTS: Adolescents (aged 13-17) with a diagnosis of IBS. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomised to either an exposure-based internet-CBT, including 10 weekly modules for adolescents and five modules for parents, or a waitlist. OUTCOME MEASURES: The main health outcome was the quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) estimated by mapping Pediatric Quality-of-Life Inventory (PedsQL) scores onto EQ-5D-3L utilities. The secondary outcome was the point improvement on the PedsQL scale. Data on health outcomes and resource use were collected at baseline and 10 weeks post-treatment. Resource use was measured using the Trimbos and Institute of Medical Technology Assessment Cost Questionnaire for Psychiatry (TIC-P) . Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) were calculated as the difference in average costs by the difference in average outcomes between groups. RESULTS: The base-case results showed that internet-CBT costs were on average US$170.24 (95% CI 63.14 to 315.04) more per participant than the waitlist. Adolescents in the internet-CBT group showed small QALY gains (0.0031; 95% CI 0.0003 to 0.0061), and an average improvement of 5.647 points (95% CI 1.82 to 9.46) on the PedsQL compared with the waitlist. Internet-CBT yielded an ICER of $54 916/QALY gained and a probability of cost-effectiveness of 74% given the Swedish willingness-to-pay threshold. The ICER for the outcome PedsQL was US$85.29/point improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Offering internet-CBT to adolescents with IBS improves health-related quality of life and generates small QALY gains at a higher cost than a waitlist control. Internet-CBT is thus likely to be cost-effective given the strong efficacy evidence, small QALY gains and low cost. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02306369; Results.

The role of avoidance behavior in the treatment of adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome: A mediation analysis.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is common in adolescents with a pronounced negative impact on quality of life. A pattern of avoidance behavior is commonly seen in the IBS population, which is associated with more gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. Exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) targets the avoidance behavior to reduce symptoms, but it is unknown whether reduced avoidance is a mediator of symptom improvement in adolescent IBS. Stress has been suggested to play a key role in worsening GI symptoms and is also a potential mediator of the treatment effect in IBS. This study was based on data from a randomized controlled trial (N = 101) that evaluated exposure-based internet-delivered CBT (Internet-CBT) compared with a wait-list for adolescents with IBS. We investigated whether avoidance behavior and perceived stress mediated the improvement in global GI symptoms due to treatment. We found that a change in avoidance behavior, but not perceived stress, mediated the effect of exposure-based Internet-CBT on GI symptoms. The decrease in avoidance behavior explained a large portion (67%) of the total treatment effect. Moreover, a unidirectional relationship over time was observed between avoidance behavior and GI symptoms. Our conclusion is that exposure-based CBT in adolescent IBS reduces avoidance and, consequently, reduces GI symptoms.

Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Children With Pain-Related Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND: Pain-related functional gastrointestinal disorders (P-FGIDs; eg, irritable bowel syndrome) are highly prevalent in children and associated with low quality of life, anxiety, and school absence. Treatment options are scarce, and there is a need for effective and accessible treatments. Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (Internet-CBT) based on exposure exercises is effective for adult and adolescent irritable bowel syndrome, but it has not been evaluated for younger children. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess acceptability, feasibility, and potential clinical efficacy of Internet-CBT for children with P-FGIDs. METHODS: This was a feasibility study with a within-group design. We included 31 children aged 8-12 years and diagnosed with P-FGID, according to the ROME III criteria. Mean duration of abdominal symptoms at baseline was 3.8 years (standard deviation [SD] 2.6). The treatment was therapist-guided and consisted of 10 weekly modules of exposure-based Internet-CBT. The children were instructed to provoke abdominal symptoms in a graded manner and to engage in previously avoided activities. The parents were taught to decrease their attention to their children's pain behaviors and to reinforce and support their work with the exposures. Assessments included treatment satisfaction, subjective treatment effect, gastrointestinal symptoms, quality of life, pain intensity, anxiety, depression, and school absence. Data were collected at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 6-month follow-up. Means, standard errors (SEs), and Cohen d effect sizes were estimated based on multi-level linear mixed models. RESULTS: Most children 25/31 (81%) completed 9 or 10 of the 10 treatment modules. Almost all children, 28/31 (90%), reported that the treatment had helped them to deal more effectively with their symptoms, and 27/31 (87%) children declared that their symptoms had improved during the treatment. Assessments from the parents were in accordance with the children's reports. No child or parent reported that the symptoms had worsened. We observed a large within-group effect size on the primary outcome measure, child-rated gastrointestinal symptoms from pretreatment to posttreatment (Cohen d=1.14, P<.001, 95% CI 0.69-1.61), and this effect size was maintained at 6-month follow-up (Cohen d=1.40, P<.001, 95% CI 1.04-1.81). We also observed significant improvements from pretreatment to posttreatment on a wide range of child- and parent-rated measures including quality of life, pain intensity, anxiety, depression, and school absence. All results remained stable or were further improved at 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that children with longstanding P-FGIDs, and their parents, perceive exposure-based Internet-CBT as a helpful and feasible treatment. The included children improved significantly despite a long duration of abdominal symptoms before the intervention. The treatment shows potential to be highly effective for P-FGIDs. The results need to be confirmed in a randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Exposure-Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Children with Abdominal Pain: A Pilot Trial.

BACKGROUND: Children with pain-related functional gastrointestinal disorders (P-FGIDs) have an increased risk for school absenteeism, depression, anxiety and low quality of life. Exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has shown large treatment effects in adults with irritable bowel syndrome, but has not been tested for children 8-12 years with P-FGIDs. AIM: The aim of this trial was to test the feasibility, acceptability and potential efficacy of a newly developed exposure-based CBT for children with P-FGIDs. METHOD: The children (n = 20) with a P-FGID, were referred by their treating physicians. The participants received 10 weekly sessions of exposure-based CBT and were assessed at pre-treatment, post-treatment and 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: Children improved significantly on the primary outcome measure pain intensity at post (Cohen's d = 0.40, p = 0.049) and at 6-month follow-up (Cohen's d = 0.85, p = 0.004). Improvements were also seen in pain frequency, gastrointestinal symptoms, quality of life, depression, anxiety, school absenteeism and somatic symptoms. Improvements were maintained or further increased at 6-month follow-up. The children engaged in the exposures and were satisfied with the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure-based CBT for children with P-FGIDs is feasible, acceptable and potentially efficacious.

Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy for children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) is a relatively novel treatment format with the potential to increase accessibility of evidence-based care. However, little is known about the feasibility and efficacy of ICBT in children and adolescents. We conducted a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of ICBT for children and adolescents to provide an overview of the field and assess the efficacy of these interventions. A systematic literature search of six electronic databases was performed to identify ICBT intervention studies for children with a psychiatric condition, such as social anxiety disorder, or a somatic condition, such as chronic pain. Two reviewers independently rated study quality. Twenty-five studies, targeting 11 different disorders, were included in the review. Study quality and presentation of treatment variables, such as therapist time and treatment adherence, varied largely. Twenty-four studies (N=1882) were included in the meta-analysis and ICBT yielded moderate between-group effect sizes when compared with waitlist, g=0.62, 95% CI [0.41, 0.84]. The results suggest that CBT for psychiatric and somatic conditions in children and adolescents can be successfully adapted to an internet-delivered format.