Abstract
Objectives: Health care guidelines recommend psychological interventions for childhood unusual experiences that are associated with distress or adverse functional impact (UEDs), based on adult, rather than child-specific, evidence. We report the first randomized controlled evaluation of the acceptability and potential clinical utility of cognitive behavioural therapy for childhood UEDs (CBT-UED). Design: Pilot randomized controlled trial. Methods: Participants aged 8-14 years were recruited from referrals to community services for children with emotional/behavioural problems and screened for self-reported UEDs. Results: Of around 1,000 referrals over 36 months, 304 (30%) were identified to the research team, 174 (57%) were successfully contacted, 110 (63%) consented to screening, 96 (87%) attended a screening assessment, and 51 (53%) reported UEDs. Forty-nine (96%) consented to randomization to either CBT-UED (9-12 weekly sessions of 40-50 min, adjunctive to usual care, n = 24) or treatment-as-usual/waitlist control (TAU/WL, n = 25). Childhood internalizing emotional symptoms (e.g., feeling 'nervous'/'scared'/'tearful'/'worried'/'sick'; proposed primary outcome), UEDs, depression, anxiety, and childhood psychopathology (secondary outcomes) were measured at baseline, at 12 weeks, and, where therapy was ongoing but incomplete (<12 sessions) at 12 weeks, at end-of-treatment (EOT). Twenty-two CBT-UED participants (92%) attended ≥5 sessions. Forty-four participants (90%) completed 12-week assessments (CBT-UED, n = 21/24, 88%; TAU/WL, n = 23/25, 92%). Preliminary findings were encouraging for emotional symptoms and UEDs, but otherwise mixed. Conclusions: Retention, screening, and consent rates were as anticipated; recruitment took longer than planned. Trial procedures were acceptable to young people, their families, and clinicians. Therapy exceeded 12 weeks, but was well-received, with no serious adverse events attributed to participation. Further evaluation is needed. Practitioner points: Around half of 8- to 14-year-olds in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services reported distressing unusual experiences. An age-adapted cognitive behavioural intervention appears feasible, and safe to deliver, with the potential to augment standard care. This is a pilot study, and further evaluation is needed. Longer term outcomes should be a focus of future evaluation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | British Journal of Clinical Psychology |
| Early online date | 12 Mar 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 12 Mar 2018 |
Keywords
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
- Community Mental Health
- Early intervention
- Psychotic experiences
- Psychotic-like experiences
Access to Document
- The Coping with Unusual_JOLLEY_Firstonline12March2018_GREEN AAM
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Jolley, S., Kuipers, E., Stewart, C., Browning, S., Bracegirdle, K., Basit, N., Gin, K., Hirsch, C., Corrigall, R., Banerjea, P., Turley, G., Stahl, D., Laurens, K. (in press). The Coping with Unusual Experiences for Children Study (CUES): a pilot randomised controlled evaluation of the acceptability and potential clinical utility of a cognitive behavioural intervention package for young people aged 8 to 14 years with unusual experiences and emotional symptoms. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, which has been published in final form at [https://doi.org/10.1111/bjc.12176]. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.