Problem Solving Skills Training For Parent Caregivers of Youth With Chronic Pain

NCT ID: NCT01496378

Last Updated: 2020-01-02

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 122 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2012-05-31
• Study Completion Date: 2015-03-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of problem-solving skills training (PSST) to reduce distress and increase coping abilities among parents of youth with chronic pain. We hypothesize that parents will complete the PSST intervention and will find it to be an acceptable and satisfactory treatment. We also hypothesize that parents who receive PSST will have less distress and better coping skills than parents who receive standard care, and that children of parents who receive PSST will have better physical and emotional functioning than children of parents who receive standard care.

Detailed Description

Chronic pain affects 25-40% of children and adolescents, and results in significantly lower quality of life for these youth. Parents play an important role in how their children cope with chronic pain, and can also experience their own distress related to their child's illness. Parental psychological distress is widely recognized to be associated with poorer child adjustment. However, no interventions have been developed specifically to treat psychological distress in parents of children with chronic pain. Problem-solving skills training (PSST) has been shown to result in significant reductions in parental distress among caregivers of children with other types of chronic illness such as cancer. The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of PSST for parents of youth with chronic pain.

Conditions

Chronic Pain; Abdominal Pain; Headache

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Problem-Solving Skills Training

In addition to standard medical care, parents in the problem-solving skills training group will receive 8 sessions (1 hour each) of individual problem-solving therapy over 8 weeks. Caregivers will be asked to complete the first training session and at least 3 subsequent sessions in person at their local treatment facility (Seattle Children's Hospital or Oregon Health and Science University). Remaining sessions will be completed via telephone.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Problem-Solving Skills Training

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Parents will receive 8, 1-hour sessions of individual problem-solving therapy over 8 weeks. Caregivers will complete the first training session and at least 3 subsequent sessions in person. Remaining sessions will be completed via telephone. In session 1, parents will be introduced to the PSST program and a rationale and explanation for problem solving strategies will be provided. During sessions 2-8, parents will identify a problem that they wish to work on. The therapist will use the primary cognitive-behavioral strategies of modeling, behavioral rehearsal, performance feedback, and generalization of skills in the process of teaching problem solving skills to parents. Parents will complete homework assignments to practice using the problem-solving skills in real-life situations

Standard Care

Parents and children in the Standard Care group will continue with the care that has been prescribed for their child's pain problem by their treating physician, which may include medications, physical therapy, and mental health intervention.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Problem-Solving Skills Training

Parents will receive 8, 1-hour sessions of individual problem-solving therapy over 8 weeks. Caregivers will complete the first training session and at least 3 subsequent sessions in person. Remaining sessions will be completed via telephone. In session 1, parents will be introduced to the PSST program and a rationale and explanation for problem solving strategies will be provided. During sessions 2-8, parents will identify a problem that they wish to work on. The therapist will use the primary cognitive-behavioral strategies of modeling, behavioral rehearsal, performance feedback, and generalization of skills in the process of teaching problem solving skills to parents. Parents will complete homework assignments to practice using the problem-solving skills in real-life situations

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Child age 10-17 years
• Child's pain present for at least 3 months duration
• Pain occurs at least 1 time per week and interferes with daily functioning
• Pain is not related to a chronic disease
• Receiving evaluation or treatment in a pediatric pain clinic
• Literate in English

Exclusion Criteria

• A serious comorbid chronic condition in the child (e.g., diabetes, arthritis, cancer)
• Non-English speaking
• Parent has lived with the child for less than one year
• Parent has active psychosis or suicidal ideation

• Minimum Eligible Age: 10 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 17 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Oregon Health and Science University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Seattle Children's Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Tonya Palermo

Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Tonya M. Palermo, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Washington

Locations

Oregon Health and Science University

Portland, Oregon, United States

Seattle Children's Hospital

Seattle, Washington, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

1R21HD065180-01A1

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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