Manualized group cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety in first-episode psychosis: a randomized controlled trial

2022 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Martin Lepage ◽  
Christopher R. Bowie ◽  
Tina Montreuil ◽  
Larry Baer ◽  
Olivier Percie du Sert ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Social anxiety (SA), a prevalent comorbid condition in psychotic disorders with a negative impact on functioning, requires adequate intervention relatively early. Using a randomized controlled trial, we tested the efficacy of a group cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention for SA (CBT-SA) that we developed for youth who experienced the first episode of psychosis (FEP). For our primary outcome, we hypothesized that compared to the active control of group cognitive remediation (CR), the CBT-SA group would show a reduction in SA that would be maintained at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. For secondary outcomes, it was hypothesized that the CBT-SA group would show a reduction of positive and negative symptoms and improvements in recovery and functioning. Method Ninety-six patients with an FEP and SA, recruited from five different FEP programs in the Montreal area, were randomized to 13 weekly group sessions of either CBT-SA or CR intervention. Results Linear mixed models revealed that multiple measures of SA significantly reduced over time, but with no significant group differences. Positive and negative symptoms, as well as functioning improved over time, with negative symptoms and functioning exhibiting a greater reduction in the CBT-SA group. Conclusions While SA decreased over time with both interventions, a positive effect of the CBT-SA intervention on measures of negative symptoms, functioning, and self-reported recovery at follow-up suggests that our intervention had a positive effect that extended beyond symptoms specific to SA. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02294409.

10.2196/10420 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. e10420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabet Rondung ◽  
Elin Ternström ◽  
Ingegerd Hildingsson ◽  
Helen M Haines ◽  
Örjan Sundin ◽  
...  

Background Although many pregnant women report fear related to the approaching birth, no consensus exists on how fear of birth should be handled in clinical care. Objective This randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the efficacy of a guided internet-based self-help program based on cognitive behavioral therapy (guided ICBT) with standard care on the levels of fear of birth in a sample of pregnant women reporting fear of birth. Methods This nonblinded, multicenter randomized controlled trial with a parallel design was conducted at three study centers (hospitals) in Sweden. Recruitment commenced at the ultrasound screening examination during gestational weeks 17-20. The therapist-guided ICBT intervention was inspired by the Unified protocol for transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders and consisted of 8 treatment modules and 1 module for postpartum follow-up. The aim was to help participants observe and understand their fear of birth and find new ways of coping with difficult thoughts and emotions. Standard care was offered in the three different study regions. The primary outcome was self-assessed levels of fear of birth, measured using the Fear of Birth Scale. Results We included 258 pregnant women reporting clinically significant levels of fear of birth (guided ICBT group, 127; standard care group, 131). Of the 127 women randomized to the guided ICBT group, 103 (81%) commenced treatment, 60 (47%) moved on to the second module, and only 13 (10%) finished ≥4 modules. The levels of fear of birth did not differ between the intervention groups postintervention. At 1-year postpartum follow-up, participants in the guided ICBT group exhibited significantly lower levels of fear of birth (U=3674.00, z=−1.97, P=.049, Cohen d=0.28, 95% CI –0.01 to 0.57). Using the linear mixed models analysis, an overall decrease in the levels of fear of birth over time was found (P≤ .001), along with a significant interaction between time and intervention, showing a larger reduction in fear of birth in the guided ICBT group over time (F1,192.538=4.96, P=.03). Conclusions Fear of birth decreased over time in both intervention groups; while the decrease was slightly larger in the guided ICBT group, the main effect of time alone, regardless of treatment allocation, was most evident. Poor treatment adherence to guided ICBT implies low feasibility and acceptance of this treatment. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02306434; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02306434 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/70sj83qat)


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabet Rondung ◽  
Elin Ternström ◽  
Ingegerd Hildingsson ◽  
Helen M Haines ◽  
Örjan Sundin ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Although many pregnant women report fear related to the approaching birth, no consensus exists on how fear of birth (FOB) should be handled in clinical care. OBJECTIVE This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to compare the efficacy of a guided internet-based self-help program based on cognitive behavioral therapy (guided ICBT) with standard care (SC) on the levels of FOB in a sample of pregnant women reporting FOB. METHODS This nonblinded, multicenter RCT with a parallel design was conducted at three study centers (hospitals) in Sweden. Recruitment commenced at the ultrasound screening examination during gestational weeks 17-20. The therapist-guided ICBT intervention was inspired by the Unified protocol for transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders (UP) and consisted of 8 treatment modules and 1 module for postpartum follow-up. The aim was to help participants observe and understand their FOB and find new ways of coping with difficult thoughts and emotions. SC was offered in the three different study regions. The primary outcome was self-assessed levels of FOB, measured using the Fear of Birth Scale (FOBS). RESULTS We included 258 pregnant women reporting clinically significant levels of FOB (guided ICBT group, 127; SC group, 131). Of the 127 women randomized to the guided ICBT group, 103 (81%) commenced treatment, 60 (47%) moved on to the second module, and only 13 (10%) finished ≥4 modules. The levels of FOB did not differ between the intervention groups postintervention. At 1-year postpartum follow-up, participants in the guided ICBT group exhibited significantly lower levels of FOB (U=3674.00, z=−1.97, P=.049, Cohen d=0.28, 95% CI –0.01 to 0.57). Using the linear mixed models analysis, an overall decrease in the levels of FOB over time was found (P=<.001), along with a significant interaction between time and intervention, showing a larger reduction in FOB in the guided ICBT group over time (F1,192.538=4.96, P=.03). CONCLUSIONS FOB decreased over time in both intervention groups; while the decrease was slightly larger in the guided ICBT group, the main effect of time alone, regardless of treatment allocation, was most evident. Poor treatment adherence to guided ICBT implies low feasibility and acceptance of this treatment. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02306434; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02306434 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/70sj83qat)


PLoS ONE ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. e0123997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bogdan Tudor Tulbure ◽  
Aurora Szentagotai ◽  
Oana David ◽  
Simona Ștefan ◽  
Kristoffer N. T. Månsson ◽  
...  

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