AzTrials
AzTrials

AutismPhase 2/3NCT01178385

Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Anxiety Disorders in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

A Phase 2/3 study testing Cognitive-behavioral therapy and Treatment as Usual in people with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome, run by University of South Florida at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

Autism spectrum disorders affect as many as 1 out of 150 children and are related to significant impairment in social, adaptive, and school functioning. Co-occurring conditions, such as anxiety, are common and may cause substantial distress and impairment beyond that caused by the autism diagnosis. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 7 to 11 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
What is being tested?
Cognitive-behavioral therapy and Treatment as Usual
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
45 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Apr 2010to Dec 2012
Phase
Phase 2/3
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

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 11 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • Outpatient children with an autism spectrum disorder (see #2 below) between the ages 7-11years.
  • Meets criteria for a diagnosis of autism, Asperger syndrome (AS), or PDD-NOS using scores from the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule.
  • Meets DSM-IV criteria for a diagnosis of one of the following anxiety disorders: separation anxiety disorder (SAD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social phobia, or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) as determined by the ADIS-IV-C/P (with CSR 4) and all available information.
  • Minimum score of 14 on the PARS Severity Scale; this score indicates clinically significant anxiety symptom severity (RUPP, 2002) and has been used in recent major clinical trials (e.g., Walkup et al., 2008).
  • Child has a Full Scale and Verbal Comprehension IQ > 70 as assessed on a commonly used IQ test.
  • Subjects with co-morbid depression, ADHD, tic disorder or disruptive behavior disorders will be acceptable as long as the anxiety disorder is primary (i.e., most impairing/distressing).

Who cannot join

  • Receiving concurrent psychotherapy, social skills training, or behavioral interventions (e.g., applied behavior analysis). Families will have the option of discontinuing such services to enroll in the study. Those randomized to TAU will be able to continue or initiate psychosocial interventions (psychotherapy, social skills training, applied behavior analysis, or family therapy) whereas those randomized to CBT will not receive these interventions concurrent with CBT.
  • New Treatments: Initiation of an antidepressant within 12 weeks before study enrollment or an antipsychotic 8 weeks before study enrollment. No new alternative medications, nutritionals or therapeutic diets within 8 weeks of study enrollment.
  • Established Treatment changes: Any change in established psychotropic medication (e.g., antidepressants, anxioloytics) within 8 weeks before study enrollment, or any change in alternative medications that might have behavioral effects within 6 weeks prior to the study baseline assessment. Those randomized to TAU may make medication changes following randomization, including starting a medication; those randomized to CBT will remain stable on medications during the study.
  • (a) Current clinically significant suicidality or (b) individuals who have engaged in suicidal behaviors within 6 months will be excluded and referred for appropriate clinical intervention.
  • Lifetime DSM-IV bipolar, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders; or Substance abuse in past 6 months.
  • Unwillingness of parents to make the commitment to accompany their child for multiple study visits.
  • Presence of a significant and/or unstable medical illness which might lead to hospitalization during the study.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Rothman Center for Neuropsychiatry, University of South Florida

    St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701

Other trials in United States

About this study

Autism spectrum disorders affect as many as 1 out of 150 children and are related to significant impairment in social, adaptive, and school functioning. Co-occurring conditions, such as anxiety, are common and may cause substantial distress and impairment beyond that caused by the autism diagnosis. Although effective interventions have been developed for typically developing youth with anxiety disorders, this approach needs to be adapted for children with autism. Accordingly, we are proposing a randomized controlled trial to examine the effectiveness of CBT relative to treatment as usual (TAU) in 46 youth ages 7-11 with autism spectrum disorders and comorbid anxiety disorder(s).

Read the detailed description

Autism spectrum disorders affect as many as 1 out of 150 children (Centers for Disease Control, 2007), with many higher-functioning children not being diagnosed until elementary school or later (Fombonne, 2003). Significant impairment in social, adaptive, and school functioning is prevalent and longstanding (Howlin et al., 2004). In addition, comorbid psychological disorders are common in the ASD population (Simonoff et al., 2008), and may cause substantial distress and impairment beyond that caused by the ASD diagnosis. Comorbid anxiety disorders, in particular, affect as many as 80% of children and adolescents with ASD (Bellini, 2004; de Bruin et al., 2007; Klin et al., 2005; Muris et al., 1998). Although efficacious interventions have been developed for otherwise typically developing youth with anxiety disorders, the linguistic; cognitive; and social characteristics of ASD may render standard treatment approaches less effective for children with ASD (Volkmar \& Klin, 2000). Thus, there is a clinical need for the modification of existing treatment modalities for this unique group. To date, few studies have experimentally tested the efficacy of CBT for youth with a comorbid presentation of anxiety and ASD. This gap in the literature is of particular concern given the prevalence of comorbid anxiety among children, consequences of untreated anxiety, unknown efficacy of antidepressant medication for anxiety in ASD, and potential safety and tolerability issues related to medication use. Accordingly, we are proposing a randomized controlled trial to examine the efficacy of CBT relative to treatment as usual (TAU) in 46 youth ages 7-11 with ASD and comorbid anxiety disorder(s). In the proposed grant, we will: (1) examine the acute efficacy of CBT relative to TAU, and (2) evaluate the short-term maintenance of treatment gains. Forty-six children (ages 7-11 years) with ASD and comorbid anxiety disorder(s) will be randomly assigned to one of the two treatment conditions. Primary outcomes will be assessed by an independent evaluator, and will include change in anxiety symptom severity; response rates; and remission rates. Considering the rising number of children diagnosed with ASD, our proposed work toward the advent of an efficacious CBT protocol will provide a timely contribution to public health efforts.

Keywords
Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, Treatment, Cognitive-behavioral therapy, Anxiety, Children, Therapy
Medical subject headings
Autistic Disorder, Asperger Syndrome, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Phobia, Social, Anxiety, Separation, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Anxiety Disorders

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Cognitive-behavioral therapyBehavioural

    Also called psychotherapy, counseling, therapy

    Therapists will work with families for 16 weekly sessions implementing the Behavioral Interventions for Anxiety in Children with Autism (BIACA) CBT program, which is a modified version of a family CBT treatment manual for typically developing children with anxiety disorders. The BIACA intervention program is flexible in nature and employs a modular format. Despite the added flexibility of the modular format, a minimum of three sessions are spent on basic coping skills and eight are spent on in vivo exposure to ensure an adequate and comparable dose of the core elements of CBT for anxiety across cases.

  • Treatment as UsualBehavioural

    Participants randomized to this arm will be instructed to continue receiving their prior interventions as recommended by their providers (e.g., psychotherapy, social skills training, behavioral interventions, family participation in family therapy or a parenting class, or pharmacological interventions). Treatment changes (e.g., medication increase, starting psychotherapy in the community) are not prohibited and will be monitored. Thus, treatment will continue as it would in standard practice; and will be monitored through periodic study assessment.

Study groups in NCT01178385
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Cognitive-behavioral therapyExperimentalTherapists will work with families for 16 weekly sessions implementing the Behavioral Interventions for Anxiety in Children with Autism (BIACA) CBT program, which is a modified version of a family CBT treatment manual for typically developing children with anxiety disorders. The BIACA intervention program is flexible in nature and employs a modular format. Despite the added flexibility of the modular format, a minimum of three sessions are spent on basic coping skills and eight are spent on in vivo exposure to ensure an adequate and comparable dose of the core elements of CBT for anxiety across cases.
Receives: Behavioral: Cognitive-behavioral therapy
Treatment as UsualActive comparatorParticipants randomized to this arm will be instructed to continue receiving their prior interventions as recommended by their providers (e.g., psychotherapy, social skills training, behavioral interventions, family participation in family therapy or a parenting class, or pharmacological interventions). Treatment changes (e.g., medication increase, starting psychotherapy in the community) are not prohibited and will be monitored. Thus, treatment will continue as it would in standard practice; and will be monitored through periodic study assessment.
Receives: Behavioral: Treatment as Usual

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale (Measures the Severity of Anxiety Symptoms)

    This scale assesses the severity of anxiety symptoms. The scale ranges from 0 (minimum score) to 25 (maximum score). Higher scores reflect more severe anxiety symptoms; lower scores reflect lower anxiety severity. There are no subscales to this measure.

    Measured: After an average of 16 weeks (Post-treatment)

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule Highest Anxiety Clincian Severity Rating (Measures the Severity of the Child's Anxiety Symptoms)

    This is a measure of severity of the child's primary anxiety disorder. The maximum rating is 8, the minimum rating is 0. Higher scores correspond to more severe anxiety.

    Measured: After an average of 16 weeks (Post-treatment)

  2. Clinical Global Impression - Severity Scale (This Scale Measures the Severity of the Child's Anxiety Symptoms).

    This scale measures severity of the child's overall anxiety presentation. The minimum rating is 0, the maximum is 6. Higher scores correspond to greater anxiety; lower scores correspond to less severe anxiety. There are no subscales for this measure.

    Measured: After an average of 16 weeks (Post-treatment)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted10 Aug 2010 (estimated)
  2. Study startApr 2010
  3. Primary completionDec 2012
  4. Study completionDec 2012

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 2/3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
45 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01178385
Sponsor's protocol ID
ACH-2010
Status last verified
Dec 2012
First submitted
5 Aug 2010
Last updated
2 Apr 2013
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • Storch EA, Arnold EB, Lewin AB, Nadeau JM, Jones AM, De Nadai AS, Jane Mutch P, Selles RR, Ung D, Murphy TK. The effect of cognitive-behavioral therapy versus treatment as usual for anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorders: a randomized, controlled trial. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2013 Feb;52(2):132-142.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2012.11.007. Epub 2013 Jan 2.

    PubMed 23357440

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2/3 study testing Cognitive-behavioral therapy and Treatment as Usual in people with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome, run by University of South Florida 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 6 inclusion and 7 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 2 Apr 2013. 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.

What does this combined phase mean?

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 2 Apr 2013). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

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?

Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale (Measures the Severity of Anxiety Symptoms) (time frame: After an average of 16 weeks (Post-treatment)). 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 NCT01178385, which also lists 1 linked publication.

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 2 Apr 2013.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in