Coping Kids: Early Intervention for Anxiety and Depression

Regionsenter for barn og unges psykiske helse873 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to provide knowledge regarding the effect of early intervention and prevention on the development of anxiety and depression in children. The focus of the intervention is to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and help children develop skills to enhance self-esteem in order to improve life quality. Gender and ethnicity will be studied as moderating factors. Primary care givers will be trained in the use of evidence based methods for children with internalizing difficulties. Children in need will be identified and receive improved services, based on international standards. Active collaboration will be established nationally between three Centers for child and adolescent mental health (RKBU/RBUP) and internationally with Philip C. Kendall at the Temple University in Philadelphia and Kevin Stark at University of Texas at Austin. Primary aims are to examine if an indicated group and school based program, Coping Kids, is more effective than treatment as usual (TAU) in reducing high levels of symptoms of both anxiety and depression among 8-12 year old schoolchildren, and if the the effects are stable over 12 months.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

873

Conditions

Anxiety Depression

Interventions

Coping KidsBEHAVIORAL

The first half (10 sessions) of Coping Kids focuses on building skills that are common to both anxiety and depression. The children practice strategies to regulate their mood, learn problem-solving, and behavioral activation is used to break the cycle of withdrawal. The second half of Coping Kids (10 sessions) is focused on the youth's specific problem; for depressive symptoms, building a positive self-schema and behavioral activation; for anxiety problems, gradual exposure to fear-inducing situations. Cognitive restructuring directed at different maladaptive thoughts is also emphasized.

TAUBEHAVIORAL

Treatment as usual

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 8 YearsMax age: 13 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Children at the intervention schools indicating a symptom level of, at minimum, one standard deviation above mean on anxiety and/or depression on self-report measures will be offered participation in an intervention group Exclusion Criteria: * Children who for different reasons may not benefit from a group-process intervention (e.g. mental retardation) will be considered individually and the reasons for exclusion will be documented in the Consort flow-chart.

Locations (3)

Regionsenter for barn og unges psykiske helse

Oslo, Norway

Regional kunnskapssenter for barn og unge - Nord

Tromsø, Norway

Regional kunnskapssenter for barn og unge - Midt

Trondheim, Norway

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

MASC-C (Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children)

Children: (1) MASC-C (March, 1997): A 40- items self-report assessing change in anxiety in children and adolescents between 8 and 19 years.

Time frame: baseline, 10 weeks, 12 month

MFQ (Mood and Feelings Questionnaire-short version)

Children: (2) MFQ short Version (Angold et al., 1994): A 13-items measure assessing change in cognitive, affective and behavioral-related symptoms of depression in children 8 to 18 years, with one added question about suicidality.

Time frame: baseline, 10 weeks, 12 months