Treatment Outcomes of ReACT for PNES

NCT ID: NCT02801136

Last Updated: 2022-03-07

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

94 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2016-06-30

Study Completion Date

2021-12-31

Brief Summary

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This research study is examining the effects of Retraining and Control Therapy (ReACT; an intervention focused on changing behaviors and thoughts) for psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES, episodes resembling epileptic seizures but with no medical explanation). Participants engage in 8 individual therapy sessions consisting of either cognitive behavioral therapy or supportive therapy. Healthy control participants also complete pre-questionnaires and two computer tasks.

Detailed Description

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Participants come to our laboratory for a total of 11 sessions. During the initial visit, participants complete several questionnaires assessing demographics, personality style, relationships with friends and family, as well as past and current PNES symptoms. They also completed two computer tasks: the magic and turbulence task and a modified Stroop task. Participants must provide EEG results indicating a diagnosis of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures.

Participants receive a PNES diary to record all episodes during the course of the study. They are randomly assigned to either receive ReACT for PNES or supportive therapy, and they return 8 times over the next 8 weeks for therapy sessions. If randomized to ReACT, participants and a family member learn how to change behaviors and thoughts to address PNES. If randomized to supportive therapy, they discuss stressors and how they relate to the PNES.

Procedures are the same for each therapy group. The first therapy session lasts approximately 90 minutes. All subsequent sessions last about one hour. After completing the 8 therapy sessions participants return one week later for a follow-up visit lasting approximately one hour. This visit consists of answering several questionnaires and an interview about current PNES symptoms. Participants return two months later for a final follow-up visit similar to the one week follow up visit. Lastly, participants and their parent are called 1 year after completing treatment and are asked to report PNES frequency over the last 30 days. They are also asked if they think ReACT was helpful, and if so, what the most helpful part of ReACT was.

Healthy controls are matched to participants with PNES based on age (+ or - 1 year), gender, race and family income. They come for 1 laboratory visit to complete the initial visit questionnaires and computer tasks.

Conditions

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Convulsion, Non-Epileptic

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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ReACT for PNES

ReACT consists of 8 weekly sessions of therapy focused on teaching adolescents to regain control of their body through managing thoughts and behaviors that reinforce the PNES and return to previous activities. It teaches parents how to respond to PNES in a manner that encourages the adolescents to regain control of their body. The PNES is explained as behaviors learned through classical and operant conditioning .

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

ReACT

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Supportive Therapy

The supportive therapy treatment consists of 8 weekly sessions of therapy focused on discussing daily difficulties and/or stressors they experience and identifying stress triggers for PNES. The PNES is explained as physical manifestations of psychological stress.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Supportive Therapy

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Healthy Control

Healthy controls are matched to patients with PNES based on age (+ or - 1 year), gender, race and family income. They come to one laboratory visit to complete initial visit questionnaires and computer tasks.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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ReACT

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Supportive Therapy

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

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Retraining and Control Therapy

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* 9-18 years old.
* Diagnosis of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures by a medical doctor using video/EEG.
* Family member (parent if a minor) willing to participate and that the subject with PNES chooses.

Exclusion Criteria

* Substance use.
* Psychosis.
* Severe intellectual disability
* Diagnosis of epilepsy is acceptable as long as patient's neurologist confirms that epileptic seizures are currently under control.

Healthy controls are matched on age (+ or - 1 year), sex, race and family income and can have no psychiatric or medical diagnosis.
Minimum Eligible Age

9 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University of Alabama at Birmingham

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Aaron Fobian

Principal investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Sparks Center Office of Psychiatric Research

Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Other Identifiers

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F151001004

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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