Phoebe Moore

Interactions between mothers and children: impacts of maternal and child anxiety.

This study, an expansion of an earlier study of parenting behaviors of anxious mothers, examined the relationship of both mother and child anxiety disorders to mother behavior in parent--child interactions. Participants were 68 mother--child dyads with children ranging in age from 7 to 15 years. Mothers and children completed diagnostic evaluations and engaged in conversational tasks; behaviors were rated by coders who were blind to diagnosis. Mothers of anxious children, regardless of their own anxiety, were less warm (p <.05) toward their children. They also granted less autonomy (p <.01). There was an interaction between mother and child anxiety in predicting maternal catastrophizing (p <.01), with anxious mothers and nonanxious mothers of anxious children likely to catastrophize. Theoretical and research implications are discussed.

Predictors and Moderators of Treatment Outcome in the Pediatric Obsessive Compulsive Treatment Study (POTS I)

OBJECTIVE To identify predictors and moderators of outcome in the first Pediatric OCD Treatment Study (POTS I) among youth (N = 112) randomly assigned to sertraline, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), both sertraline and CBT (COMB), or a pill placebo. METHOD Potential baseline predictors and moderators were identified by literature review. The outcome measure was an adjusted week 12 predicted score for the Childrens Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS). Main and interactive effects of treatment condition and each candidate predictor or moderator variable were examined using a general linear model on the adjusted predicted week 12 CY-BOCS scores. RESULTS Youth with lower obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) severity, less OCD-related functional impairment, greater insight, fewer comorbid externalizing symptoms, and lower levels of family accommodation showed greater improvement across treatment conditions than their counterparts after acute POTS treatment. Those with a family history of OCD had more than a sixfold decrease in effect size in CBT monotherapy relative to their counterparts in CBT without a family history of OCD. CONCLUSIONS Greater attention is needed to build optimized intervention strategies for more complex youth with OCD. Youth with a family history of OCD are not likely to benefit from CBT unless offered in combination with an SSRI. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION INFORMATION Treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in Children, http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00000384.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Augmentation of Pharmacotherapy in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder The Pediatric OCD Treatment Study II (POTS II) Randomized Controlled Trial

CONTEXT The extant literature on the treatment of pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) indicates that partial response to serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) is the norm and that augmentation with short-term OCD-specific cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) may provide additional benefit. OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of augmenting SRIs with CBT or a brief form of CBT, instructions in CBT delivered in the context of medication management. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A 12-week randomized controlled trial conducted at 3 academic medical centers between 2004 and 2009, involving 124 pediatric outpatients between the ages of 7 and 17 years with OCD as a primary diagnosis and a Childrens Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale score of 16 or higher despite an adequate SRI trial. INTERVENTIONS Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment strategies that included 7 sessions over 12 weeks: 42 in the medication management only, 42 in the medication management plus instructions in CBT, and 42 in the medication management plus CBT; the last included 14 concurrent CBT sessions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Whether patients responded positively to treatment by improving their baseline obsessive-compulsive scale score by 30% or more and demonstrating a change in their continuous scores over 12 weeks. RESULTS The medication management plus CBT strategy was superior to the other 2 strategies on all outcome measures. In the primary intention-to-treat analysis, 68.6% (95% CI, 53.9%-83.3%) in the plus CBT group were considered responders, which was significantly better than the 34.0% (95% CI, 18.0%-50.0%) in the plus instructions in CBT group, and 30.0% (95% CI, 14.9%-45.1%) in the medication management only group. The results were similar in pairwise comparisons with the plus CBT strategy being superior to the other 2 strategies (P < .01 for both). The plus instructions in CBT strategy was not statistically superior to medication management only (P = .72). The number needed-to-treat analysis with the plus CBT vs medication management only in order to see 1 additional patient at week 12, on average, was estimated as 3; for the plus CBT vs the plus instructions in CBT strategy, the number needed to treat was also estimated as 3; for the plus instructions in CBT vs medication management only the number needed to treat was estimated as 25. CONCLUSIONS Among patients aged 7 to 17 years with OCD and partial response to SRI use, the addition of CBT to medication management compared with medication management alone resulted in a significantly greater response rate, whereas augmentation of medication management with the addition of instructions in CBT did not. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00074815.

Tics Moderate Treatment Outcome with Sertraline but not Cognitive-Behavior Therapy in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

BACKGROUND The presence of a comorbid tic disorder may predict a poorer outcome in the acute treatment of pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). METHODS Using data from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded Pediatric OCD Treatment Study (POTS) that compared cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT), medical management with sertraline (SER), and the combination of CBT and SER (COMB), to pill placebo (PBO) in children and adolescents with OCD, we asked whether the presence of a comorbid tic disorder influenced symptom reduction on the Childrens Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) after 12 weeks of treatment. RESULTS Fifteen percent (17 of 112) of patients exhibited a comorbid tic disorder. In patients without tics, results replicated previously published intent-to-treat outcomes: COMB > CBT > SER > PBO. In patients with a comorbid tic disorder, SER did not differ from PBO, while COMB remained superior to CBT and CBT remained superior to PBO. CONCLUSIONS In contrast to CBT outcomes, which are not differentially impacted, tic disorders appear to adversely impact the outcome of medication management of pediatric OCD. Children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder and a comorbid tic disorder should begin treatment with cognitive-behavior therapy alone or the combination of cognitive-behavior therapy plus a serotonin reuptake inhibitor.

The child and adolescent trichotillomania impact project: descriptive psychopathology, comorbidity, functional impairment, and treatment utilization.

Objective: Trichotillomania (TTM) is associated with significant morbidity, comorbidity, and functional impairment in adults. Despite the fact that TTM is typically a pediatric onset disorder, important questions remain about its phenomenology, comorbid symptoms, functional impact, and treatment utilization in youth. The current study was designed to provide an initial description of these factors using a convenience sample. Method: An internet-based survey. Results: Surveys completed by 133 youth ages 10 to 17 were analyzed. Scalp hair was the most common pulling site, followed by eyelashes and eyebrows. The majority reported tension before pulling and gratification/relief immediately after pulling. Severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms were somewhat elevated, as measured by standard instruments, and correlated positively with the severity of TTM symptoms. Moderate impairment in social and academic functioning was reported. For those who had received treatment specifically for TTM, parent ratings indicated that few (17%) children and adolescents were either very much improved or much improved after intervention. Conclusions: This study represents the largest survey of youth with TTM conducted thus far, and thus provides the most comprehensive description of TTM in youth to date. Limitations: Data was obtained from an anonymous, Internet-based sample, and thus may not be generalizable to all youth with TTM.

Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Young Children With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a distressing and functionally impairing disorder that can emerge as early as age 4. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for OCD in youth shows great promise for amelioration of symptoms and associated functional impairment. However, the empirical evidence base for the efficacy of CBT in youth has some significant limitations, particularly as related to treating the very young child with OCD. This report includes a quantitative review of existing child CBT studies to evaluate evidence for the efficacy of CBT for OCD. It identifies gaps in the literature that, when addressed, would enhance the understanding of effective treatment in pediatric OCD. Finally, it presents a proposed research agenda for addressing the unique concerns of the young child with OCD.

Family-Based Treatment of Early Childhood Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder The Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Treatment Study for Young Children (POTS Jr)—A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has been established as efficacious for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) among older children and adolescents, yet its effect on young children has not been evaluated sufficiently. OBJECTIVE To examine the relative efficacy of family-based CBT (FB-CBT) involving exposure plus response prevention vs an FB relaxation treatment (FB-RT) control condition for children 5 to 8 years of age. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A 14-week randomized clinical trial (Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Treatment Study for Young Children [POTS Jr]) conducted at 3 academic medical centers between 2006 and 2011, involving 127 pediatric outpatients 5 to 8 years of age who received a primary diagnosis of OCD and a Childrens Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale total score of 16 or higher. INTERVENTIONS Participants were randomly assigned to 14 weeks of (1) FB-CBT, including exposure plus response prevention, or (2) FB-RT. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Responder status defined as an independent evaluator-rated Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scale score of 1 (very much improved) or 2 (much improved) and change in independent evaluator-rated continuous Childrens Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale total score. RESULTS Family-based CBT was superior to FB-RT on both primary outcome measures. The percentages of children who were rated as 1 (very much improved) or 2 (much improved) on the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scale at 14 weeks were 72% for FB-CBT and 41% for FB-RT. The effect size difference between FB-CBT and FB-RT on the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scale was 0.31 (95% CI, 0.17-0.45). The number needed to treat (NNT) with FB-CBT vs FB-RT was estimated as 3.2 (95% CI, 2.2-5.8). The effect size difference between FB-CBT and FB-RT on the Childrens Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale at week 14 was 0.84 (95% CI, 0.62-1.06). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE A comprehensive FB-CBT program was superior to a relaxation program with a similar format in reducing OCD symptoms and functional impairment in young children (5-8 years of age) with OCD. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00533806.

The Milwaukee Inventory for Styles of Trichotillomania-Child Version (MIST-C) : Initial development and psychometric properties

This article describes the development and initial psychometric properties of the Milwaukee Inventory for Styles of Trichotillomania-Child Version (MIST-C), a self-report scale designed to assess styles of hair pulling in children and adolescents diagnosed with trichotillomania (TTM). Using Internet sampling procedures, the authors recruited 164 parent–child dyads, the children of whom met modified diagnostic criteria for TTM. The MIST-C was administered in the context of a larger survey examining functional impairment experienced by children with TTM. Results of an exploratory factor analysis on MIST-C items revealed a two-factor solution. Factors 1 (“focused” pulling scale) and 2 (“automatic” pulling scale) consisted of 21 and 4 items, respectively, with both scales demonstrating acceptable internal consistency and good construct and discriminant validity. The development of the MIST-C provides researchers with a reliable and valid assessment of “automatic” and “focused” pulling, and provides a means by which to examine the developmental trajectory and treatment implications of these pulling styles.

The Trichotillomania Scale for Children: Development and Validation

Trichotillomania (TTM) is a chronic impulse control disorder characterized by repetitive hair-pulling resulting in alopecia. Although this condition is frequently observed in children and adolescents, research on pediatric TTM has been hampered by the absence of validated measures. The aim of the present study was to develop and test a new self-report measure of pediatric TTM, the Trichotillomania Scale for Children (TSC), a measure that can be completed by children and/or their parents. One hundred thirteen children meeting self-report criteria for TTM, and 132 parents, provided data over the internet. An additional 41 child–parent dyads from an outpatient clinic also provided data. Replicated principal components analysis, with elimination of poorly-loading items, yielded two components, which we labeled Severity (five items) and Distress/Impairment (seven items). The TSC total score and subscales showed adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Parent–child agreement was good in the internet sample, but more modest in the clinic sample. Children’s TSC scores correlated significantly with other measures of TTM severity, although some exceptions were noted. Parents’ TSC scores correlated significantly with other measures of parent-rated TTM severity in the internet sample, but showed more attenuated relationships with child- and interviewer-rated TTM severity in the clinic sample. The present results suggest that the TSC may be a useful measure of TTM for child and adolescent samples, although additional clarification of convergent validity is needed.

Depression, anxiety, and functional impairment in children with trichotillomania.

Background: Trichotillomania (TTM) remains understudied in children. Adult research suggests that TTM is accompanied by significant depression, anxiety, and functional impairment. The purpose of this study is to examine the occurrence of depression and anxiety in a relatively large sample of youth with TTM and the extent to which these symptoms mediate the relationship between TTM severity and associated impairment. Methods: The study utilized data from the Child and Adolescent Trichotillomania Impact Project (CA‐TIP), an internet‐based sample of 133 youth aged 10–17 (inclusive) with TTM. Results: Over 45% of children with TTM endorsed depressive symptoms and 40% endorsed anxiety symptoms in excess of one standard deviation (SD) above published community norms. More remarkably, 25% of our sample reported depressive and 20% reported anxiety symptoms in excess of 2 SD above these norms. Older participants reported more symptoms of depression and anxiety than younger ones; age of onset (children with later onset), but not duration of illness, was predictive of higher reports of both depressive and anxiety symptoms. Neither depressive nor anxiety symptoms were related to pulling site. Depressive symptoms partially mediated the relationship between TTM severity and functional impairment. Conclusions: Based on an internet sample recruited from the homepage of the Trichotillomania Learning Center, data from this study suggests that symptoms of depression and anxiety may be pervasive among youth with TTM and likely impact functional impairment. Longitudinal studies using directly assessed samples are needed to replicate and extend these findings. Depression and Anxiety, 2009.