Internet-Based Exposure Therapy Vs. Stress-Management Training for Worry

NCT ID: NCT02638792

Last Updated: 2017-11-28

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

311 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2015-12-31

Study Completion Date

2016-05-31

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this study is to examine if an internet-based exposure therapy is more effective in reducing excessive worry amongst patients who suffer from this problem than is internet-based stress management training.

Detailed Description

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Trial Objectives: Primary objective is to investigate whether an Internet-based exposure therapy can reduce the degree of excessive worry to a significantly greater extent than Internet-based stress-management training. The secondary objective is to a) investigate the cost-effectiveness of this treatment b) to study if any variables could moderate/mediate the treatment outcome, c) and to investigate the importance of sudden gains for the treatment outcome

Trial Design: Randomized controlled trial with an active control and a waitlist control, who also will recieve treatment after the first group has finished.

Duration: Ten weeks

Primary Endpoint:

Difference in worry symptoms between the treatment groups at week 10. Long term follow-up is also investigated (baseline to 4-months after treatment completion and baseline to 12-months after treatment completion).

Efficacy Parameters: Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ)

Safety Parameters: Adverse Events is assessed via the internet.

Description of Trial Subjects: Patients \> 18 years old with a PSWQ score more than 56 points

Number of Subjects: 300

Conditions

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Excessive Worry

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Internet-based exposure therapy

The internet-based exposure therapy (I-ET) group receives a ten-week Internet-based CBT treatment, which is an extended version of the self-help book "Sluta älta och grubbla med kognitiv beteendeterapi" (How to quit worrying and ruminating with Cognitive behavior therapy) by licensed psychologist Olle Wadström (2007). The main focus of the book is to expose to the frightening word/image and refrain from using neutralizing thoughts. This is supposed to lead to the extinction of upsetting words/images.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Internet-based exposure therapy (I-ET)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The internet-based exposure therapy (I-ET) group receives a ten-week Internet-based CBT treatment, which is an extended version of the self-help book "Sluta älta och grubbla med kognitiv beteendeterapi" (How to quit worrying and ruminating with Cognitive behavior therapy) by licensed psychologist Olle Wadström (2007). The main focus of the book is to expose to the frightening word/image and refrain from using neutralizing thoughts. This is supposed to lead to the extinction of upsetting words/images.

Internet-based stress management therapy

The I-SMT group receives a ten-week Internet-based CBT treatment focused on stress and how to manage stressful situations. This protocol is based on current evidence based recommendations for worry and has shown to be effective when delivered via the internet for irritable bowel syndrome and hypochondric worries.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Internet-based stress management therapy

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The I-SMT group receives a ten-week Internet-based CBT treatment focused on stress and how to manage stressful situations. This protocol is based on current evidence based recommendations for worry and has shown to be effective when delivered via the internet for irritable bowel syndrome and hypochondric worries.

Waitlist

When the active treatment groups have finished treatment (W11), the WL group will be able to start active treatment and be assessed at post-treatment, and 4, 12 months later using the same questionnaires as the treatment group. The participants will be able to choose which treatment they receive i.e. no randomization.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Internet-based exposure therapy (I-ET)

The internet-based exposure therapy (I-ET) group receives a ten-week Internet-based CBT treatment, which is an extended version of the self-help book "Sluta älta och grubbla med kognitiv beteendeterapi" (How to quit worrying and ruminating with Cognitive behavior therapy) by licensed psychologist Olle Wadström (2007). The main focus of the book is to expose to the frightening word/image and refrain from using neutralizing thoughts. This is supposed to lead to the extinction of upsetting words/images.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Internet-based stress management therapy

The I-SMT group receives a ten-week Internet-based CBT treatment focused on stress and how to manage stressful situations. This protocol is based on current evidence based recommendations for worry and has shown to be effective when delivered via the internet for irritable bowel syndrome and hypochondric worries.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Outpatients
* ≥ 18 years
* Situated in Sweden
* Informed consent
* PSWQ score more than 56 points

Exclusion Criteria

* Substance dependence during the last six months
* Post traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder or psychosis
* Symptoms better explained by axis 2 diagnosis (e.g. autism or borderline personality disorder)
* MADRS-S score above 25 points
* Psychotropic medication changes within two months prior to treatment that could affect target symptoms.
* Received exposure based CBT for pathological worry the last 2 years.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Karolinska Institutet

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Erik Andersson

PhD, Lic. psychologist

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Erik M Andersson, PhD, Psych.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Karolinska Institutet

Locations

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Karolinska Intitutet

Stockholm, , Sweden

Site Status

Countries

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Sweden

Other Identifiers

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REPN 2015/1698-31/1

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id