CancerNCT00824278
The Use of a Distress Thermometer in a Pediatric Research Setting: An Exploratory Pilot Study
An observational study of Cancer and HIV Infections, run by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Medical illnesses and treatments can cause distress in patients, and medical professionals are very interested in identifying distress quickly to ensure that a patient can receive appropriate support and treatment. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 7 to 21 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Cancer, HIV Infections
- How many people
- 289 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 13 Jan 2009to 31 May 2018
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 7 to 21 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- <TAB>
- Age 7 to 21 years.
- Must be enrolled in a research protocol at the NIH or receiving medical treatment at Georgetown's Medical Center and be an outpatient at time of study. The treatment protocol PI will be contacted before a patient is approached to ensure that the patient is appropriate for enrollment into this protocol.
- Must have a parent/guardian available to complete the study measures.
- For patients less than 18 years of age, a legal guardian must provide informed consent and the patients must sign an assent document.
- Patients greater than or equal to 18 years of age must give informed consent and their parents need to sign the parent consent.
- Patients must speak English (as all instruments have not been validated in languages other than English.)
Who cannot join
- Presence of psychotic symptoms or cognitive impairment, which in the judgment of the Principal or Associate Investigator, or consulting psychiatrist would compromise the patient s ability to accurately complete the measures.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
About this study
Official title: The Use of a Distress Thermometer in a Pediatric Research Setting: An Exploratory, Pilot Study
Medical illnesses and treatments can cause distress in patients, and medical professionals are very interested in identifying distress quickly to ensure that a patient can receive appropriate support and treatment. Adult patients often use a screening tool known as the Distress Thermometer to indicate the causes and levels of distress they feel. However, little work has been done on how to assess distress in pediatric patients. This study will investigate the effectiveness of the Distress Thermometer as a tool to accurately measure distress in pediatric patients, and determine whether primary caregivers and physicians can also use the Distress Thermometer to accurately gauge a patient s levels and sources of distress. The study will also investigate the effectiveness of the Distress Thermometer compared with other means of measuring fatigue, mood, and pain levels.
This study will include approximately 90 patients between 7 and 21 years of age who are currently enrolled in a National Institutes of Health pediatric research study. It will also include responses from the primary caregivers and primary medical providers of the patients involved in the study.
Read more
All patients will complete the Distress Thermometer s self-reported distress scale and other standardized measures of anxiety, depression, fatigue, and pain. In addition, patients between 18 and 21 years of age will be asked to assess the benefits and negative effects of participating in psychosocial research.
On the same day, the patient s primary caregiver and primary medical provider will complete a Distress Thermometer survey to estimate the patient s distress level. If either the patient or the primary caregiver indicate high levels of distress or mood symptoms, the researchers will offer them an opportunity to speak with a mental health professional. The primary medical provider will also receive a copy of the responses reported on the patient s Distress Thermometer.
Read the detailed description
OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this protocol is to evaluate a measure that would assist clinicians in assessing the presence of psychological distress in children and adolescents with serious medical illnesses.
Aim 1: To assess the inter-rater reliability of the Distress Thermometer by comparing ratings of the patient s distress given by the patient, the primary caregiver and the patient s primary medical provider.
Aim 2: To assess the concurrent validity (i.e. the extent to which a test correlates with other previously validated measures of similar constructs) of the Distress Thermometer, a brief screening tool for psychological distress, as compared to validated measures of psychological symptoms (i.e. depression, anxiety, pain and fatigue) in patients with pediatric cancer, Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) HIV-1 infection, Primary Immune Deficiencies (PIDs), DNA repair diseases, sickle cell disease, and Li-Fraumeni.
Aim 3: To assess the acceptability of completing the Distress Thermometer to patients, primary caregivers, and medical providers.
Aim 4: To assess the feasibility of administering the Distress Thermometer to patients with cancer, NF1, and HIV-1 infection, PIDs, and DNA repair diseases.
Secondary Aim 1: To assess the relationship between the caregiver s self-report of psychological symptoms and his or her rating of the patient s level of distress on the Distress Thermometer.
Secondary Aim 2: To assess whether patient ratings on the Distress Thermometer differ between the specific diseases, controlling for disease severity.
Secondary Aim 3: To assess the burden and benefits of participating in psychosocial research.
STUDY POPULATION:
This study is taking place at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Medstar Georgetown University Hospital. All outpatients, ages 7-21, enrolled in a research study either at the Pediatric Clinic, the Primary Immune Deficiency Clinic, or the Dermatology Clinic at the NIH with a diagnosis of pediatric cancer, NF-1, HIV, PIDs, and DNA repair, and those at risk for Li-Fraumeni (P53 positive)syndrome diseases will be invited to participate in this study. Additionally, all outpatients, ages 7-21, seen at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital for HIV or sickle cell disease will be invited to participate in this study.
DESIGN:
Each patient will complete a brief self-report distress scale (the Distress Thermometer) and standardized measures of depression, anxiety, pain, and fatigue. Additionally, all patients will be asked to assess the benefits and burdens of participating in psychosocial research.
Primary caregivers will rate their child s level of distress (using the Distress Thermometer), pain, fatigue anxiety and depression, and complete a self-report measure assessing their own psychological symptoms in addition to questions that assess the benefits and burdens of participating in psychosocial research.
The primary medical provider (physicians or nurse practitioners) will give their estimation of the patient s distress (using the Distress Thermometer).
All patients, primary caregivers and medical providers will assess the acceptability of completing the Distress Thermometer. Additionally, data collectors will assess the feasibility of administering the Distress Thermometer in a pediatric clinic. <TAB>
MEASURES:
Measures include the Distress Thermometer, a brief screening tool consisting of a single item rating of distress and a list of possible reasons for distress; the Children s Depression Inventory (CDI); the Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI-18); the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI); the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Scale; the Children s Fatigue Scales; an Acceptability and Feasibility scale for completion of the Distress Thermometer; and two questions regarding perception of research participation.
- Conditions
- Cancer, HIV Infections
- Keywords
- Pediatrics, Distresss Screening, Cancer, Neurofibromatosis, HIV, Pediatric Cancer, Distress Screening
- Medical subject headings
- Neoplasms, HIV Infections, Neurofibromatoses
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Positive score on depression, anxiety, pain and fatigue measures.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted16 Jan 2009 (estimated)
- Study start13 Jan 2009
- Study completion31 May 2018
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (5)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for CancerStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)The sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 289 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Sponsor type
- US National Institutes of Health
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Maryland Pao, M.D., Principal investigator, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00824278
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 090022
- Other IDs
- 09-M-0022
- Status last verified
- 31 May 2018
- First submitted
- 15 Jan 2009
- Last updated
- 17 Dec 2019
- Results posted
- No
Publications
Allison TG, Williams DE, Miller TD, Patten CA, Bailey KR, Squires RW, Gau GT. Medical and economic costs of psychologic distress in patients with coronary artery disease. Mayo Clin Proc. 1995 Aug;70(8):734-42. doi: 10.4065/70.8.734.
PubMed 7630210Barton B, North K. Social skills of children with neurofibromatosis type 1. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2004 Aug;46(8):553-63. doi: 10.1017/s0012162204000921.
PubMed 15287247Battles HB, Wiener LS. From adolescence through young adulthood: psychosocial adjustment associated with long-term survival of HIV. J Adolesc Health. 2002 Mar;30(3):161-8. doi: 10.1016/s1054-139x(01)00341-x.
PubMed 11869922Shain LM, Pao M, Tipton MV, Bedoya SZ, Kang SJ, Horowitz LM, Wiener L. Comparing Parent and Child Self-report Measures of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory in Children and Adolescents with a Chronic Health Condition. J Clin Psychol Med Settings. 2020 Mar;27(1):173-181. doi: 10.1007/s10880-019-09631-5.
PubMed 31127422Wiener L, Battles H, Zadeh S, Pao M. Is Participating in Psychological Research a Benefit, Burden, or Both for Medically Ill Youth and Their Caregivers? IRB. 2015 Nov-Dec;37(6):1-8.
PubMed 26783591
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 17 Dec 2019. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Use of a Distress Thermometer in a Pediatric Research Setting: An Exploratory, Pilot Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00824278
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 090022
- Conditions
- Cancer, HIV Infections
- Keywords
- Pediatrics, Distresss Screening, Cancer, Neurofibromatosis, HIV, Pediatric Cancer, Distress Screening
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 289 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)US National Institutes of Health
- Study start
- 13 Jan 2009
- Study completion
- 31 May 2018
- First posted
- 16 Jan 2009 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Medical illnesses and treatments can cause distress in patients, and medical professionals are very interested in identifying distress quickly to ensure that a patient can receive appropriate support and treatment. Adult patients often use a screening tool known as the Distress Thermometer to indicate the causes and levels of distress they feel. However, little work has been done on how to assess distress in pediatric patients. This study will investigate the effectiveness of the Distress Thermometer as a tool to accurately measure distress in pediatric patients, and determine whether primary caregivers and physicians can also use the Distress Thermometer to accurately gauge a patient s levels and sources of distress. The study will also investigate the effectiveness of the Distress Thermometer compared with other means of measuring fatigue, mood, and pain levels.
This study will include approximately 90 patients between 7 and 21 years of age who are currently enrolled in a National Institutes of Health pediatric research study. It will also include responses from the primary caregivers and primary medical providers of the patients involved in the study.
All patients will complete the Distress Thermometer s self-reported distress scale and other standardized measures of anxiety, depression, fatigue, and pain. In addition, patients between 18 and 21 years of age will be asked to assess the benefits and negative effects of participating in psychosocial research.
On the same day, the patient s primary caregiver and primary medical provider will complete a Distress Thermometer survey to estimate the patient s distress level. If either the patient or the primary caregiver indicate high levels of distress or mood symptoms, the researchers will offer them an opportunity to speak with a mental health professional. The primary medical provider will also receive a copy of the responses reported on the patient s Distress Thermometer.
Detailed description
OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this protocol is to evaluate a measure that would assist clinicians in assessing the presence of psychological distress in children and adolescents with serious medical illnesses.
Aim 1: To assess the inter-rater reliability of the Distress Thermometer by comparing ratings of the patient s distress given by the patient, the primary caregiver and the patient s primary medical provider.
Aim 2: To assess the concurrent validity (i.e. the extent to which a test correlates with other previously validated measures of similar constructs) of the Distress Thermometer, a brief screening tool for psychological distress, as compared to validated measures of psychological symptoms (i.e. depression, anxiety, pain and fatigue) in patients with pediatric cancer, Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) HIV-1 infection, Primary Immune Deficiencies (PIDs), DNA repair diseases, sickle cell disease, and Li-Fraumeni.
Aim 3: To assess the acceptability of completing the Distress Thermometer to patients, primary caregivers, and medical providers.
Aim 4: To assess the feasibility of administering the Distress Thermometer to patients with cancer, NF1, and HIV-1 infection, PIDs, and DNA repair diseases.
Secondary Aim 1: To assess the relationship between the caregiver s self-report of psychological symptoms and his or her rating of the patient s level of distress on the Distress Thermometer.
Secondary Aim 2: To assess whether patient ratings on the Distress Thermometer differ between the specific diseases, controlling for disease severity.
Secondary Aim 3: To assess the burden and benefits of participating in psychosocial research.
STUDY POPULATION:
This study is taking place at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Medstar Georgetown University Hospital. All outpatients, ages 7-21, enrolled in a research study either at the Pediatric Clinic, the Primary Immune Deficiency Clinic, or the Dermatology Clinic at the NIH with a diagnosis of pediatric cancer, NF-1, HIV, PIDs, and DNA repair, and those at risk for Li-Fraumeni (P53 positive)syndrome diseases will be invited to participate in this study. Additionally, all outpatients, ages 7-21, seen at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital for HIV or sickle cell disease will be invited to participate in this study.
DESIGN:
Each patient will complete a brief self-report distress scale (the Distress Thermometer) and standardized measures of depression, anxiety, pain, and fatigue. Additionally, all patients will be asked to assess the benefits and burdens of participating in psychosocial research.
Primary caregivers will rate their child s level of distress (using the Distress Thermometer), pain, fatigue anxiety and depression, and complete a self-report measure assessing their own psychological symptoms in addition to questions that assess the benefits and burdens of participating in psychosocial research.
The primary medical provider (physicians or nurse practitioners) will give their estimation of the patient s distress (using the Distress Thermometer).
All patients, primary caregivers and medical providers will assess the acceptability of completing the Distress Thermometer. Additionally, data collectors will assess the feasibility of administering the Distress Thermometer in a pediatric clinic. <TAB>
MEASURES:
Measures include the Distress Thermometer, a brief screening tool consisting of a single item rating of distress and a list of possible reasons for distress; the Children s Depression Inventory (CDI); the Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI-18); the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI); the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Scale; the Children s Fatigue Scales; an Acceptability and Feasibility scale for completion of the Distress Thermometer; and two questions regarding perception of research participation.
Study design
- Time perspective
- Prospective
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 7 to 21 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- <TAB>
- Age 7 to 21 years.
- Must be enrolled in a research protocol at the NIH or receiving medical treatment at Georgetown's Medical Center and be an outpatient at time of study. The treatment protocol PI will be contacted before a patient is approached to ensure that the patient is appropriate for enrollment into this protocol.
- Must have a parent/guardian available to complete the study measures.
- For patients less than 18 years of age, a legal guardian must provide informed consent and the patients must sign an assent document.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Presence of psychotic symptoms or cognitive impairment, which in the judgment of the Principal or Associate Investigator, or consulting psychiatrist would compromise the patient s ability to accurately complete the measures.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Positive score on depression, anxiety, pain and fatigue measures.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 17 Dec 2019.
- Background: PubMed 7630210Allison TG, Williams DE, Miller TD, Patten CA, Bailey KR, Squires RW, Gau GT. Medical and economic costs of psychologic distress in patients with coronary artery disease. Mayo Clin Proc. 1995 Aug;70(8):734-42. doi: 10.4065/70.8.734.
- Background: PubMed 15287247Barton B, North K. Social skills of children with neurofibromatosis type 1. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2004 Aug;46(8):553-63. doi: 10.1017/s0012162204000921.
- Background: PubMed 11869922Battles HB, Wiener LS. From adolescence through young adulthood: psychosocial adjustment associated with long-term survival of HIV. J Adolesc Health. 2002 Mar;30(3):161-8. doi: 10.1016/s1054-139x(01)00341-x.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 31127422Shain LM, Pao M, Tipton MV, Bedoya SZ, Kang SJ, Horowitz LM, Wiener L. Comparing Parent and Child Self-report Measures of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory in Children and Adolescents with a Chronic Health Condition. J Clin Psychol Med Settings. 2020 Mar;27(1):173-181. doi: 10.1007/s10880-019-09631-5.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 26783591Wiener L, Battles H, Zadeh S, Pao M. Is Participating in Psychological Research a Benefit, Burden, or Both for Medically Ill Youth and Their Caregivers? IRB. 2015 Nov-Dec;37(6):1-8.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Maryland Pao, M.D. principal investigator
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Cancer and HIV Infections, run by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Dec 2019. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Positive score on depression, anxiety, pain and fatigue measures.. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00824278, which also lists 5 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 17 Dec 2019.