A cognitive behavioral based group intervention for children with a chronic illness and their parents: a multicentre randomized controlled trial.

Bob F Last,Carlo Schuengel,Martha A Grootenhuis,Heleen Maurice-Stam,Linde Scholten,Agnes M Willemen

doi:10.1186/1471-2431-11-65

Bob F Last, Carlo Schuengel + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2431-11-65

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Abstract

BackgroundCoping with a chronic illness (CI) challenges children's psychosocial functioning and wellbeing. Cognitive-behavioral intervention programs that focus on teaching the active use of coping strategies may prevent children with CI from developing psychosocial problems. Involvement of parents in the intervention program may enhance the use of learned coping strategies in daily life, especially on the long-term. The primary aim of the present study is to examine the effectiveness of a cognitive behavioral based group intervention (called 'Op Koers') [1] for children with CI and of a parallel intervention for their parents. A secondary objective is to investigate why and for whom this intervention works, in order to understand the underlying mechanisms of the intervention effect.Methods/designThis study is a multicentre randomized controlled trial. Participants are children (8 to 18 years of age) with a chronic illness, and their parents, recruited from seven participating hospitals in the Netherlands. Participants are randomly allocated to two intervention groups (the child intervention group and the child intervention combined with a parent program) and a wait-list control group. Primary outcomes are child psychosocial functioning, wellbeing and child disease related coping skills. Secondary outcomes are child quality of life, child general coping skills, child self-perception, parental stress, quality of parent-child interaction, and parental perceived vulnerability. Outcomes are evaluated at baseline, after 6 weeks of treatment, and at a 6 and 12-month follow-up period. The analyses will be performed on the basis of an intention-to-treat population.DiscussionThis study evaluates the effectiveness of a group intervention improving psychosocial functioning in children with CI and their parents. If proven effective, the intervention will be implemented in clinical practice. Strengths and limitations of the study design are discussed.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials ISRCTN60919570

Highlights

Coping with a chronic illness (CI) challenges children’s psychosocial functioning and wellbeing
This study evaluates the effectiveness of a group intervention improving psychosocial functioning in children with CI and their parents
Participants assigned to the control group are not prevented to seek individual treatment, but the participating hospitals are advised to wait with individual psychological treatment until after the follow-up assessment

Summary

Introduction

Coping with a chronic illness (CI) challenges children’s psychosocial functioning and wellbeing. Cognitive-behavioral intervention programs that focus on teaching the active use of coping strategies may prevent children with CI from developing psychosocial problems. Involvement of parents in the intervention program may enhance the use of learned coping strategies in daily life, especially on the long-term. The primary aim of the present study is to examine the effectiveness of a cognitive behavioral based group intervention (called ‘Op Koers’) [1] for children with CI and of a parallel intervention for their parents. Intervention programs that are effective in learning active coping skills to children with CI, may help to reduce psychosocial problems in these children. Children with CI may have different diagnoses and different medical treatments, but the psychosocial challenges (e.g., frequent hospitalizations, school absenteeism, restriction of activities) are mostly the same. There should be focus on the similarities between children with chronic illness, rather than the differences between diagnosis groups [7]

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