At present, there are no established treatments for depression or anxiety in adolescents with cancer, creating an important clinical and research gap. Fortunately, there is now substantial evidence documenting the efficacy of psychotherapy in the treatment of depressed and anxious adolescents in the general population.
Despite the high prevalence of depression and anxiety in cancer patients, little is known about the efficacy of psychotherapy in depressed and anxious adolescents with cancer. Behavioral activation therapy (BAT) is a brief, manualized therapy that has shown efficacy in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in several controlled trials patients, including adult cancer patients. The goal of this open label clinical trial is to obtain preliminary evidence of the efficacy of BAT(6 sessions) in a group of adolescent cancer patients with MDD, GAD or adjustment disorder with mood or anxiety features. We will test the efficacy of BAT using the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children at several time points of the treatment.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Behavioral activation therapy (BAT) is a brief, manualized therapy that has shown efficacy in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in several controlled trials patients (see review in Dimidjan et al., Ann Rev Clin Psychol, 2010, and Chu, Brian C., et al. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 2009.), including adult cancer patients (Hopkoet al., 2009; Hopko et al., 2011).
New York State Psychiatric Institute
New York, New York, United States
Change in Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC 2)
10 to 15 minutes of mood assessment.
Time frame: baseline, and every two weeks till week 10
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