A brief online program to help parents manage children's anxiety
A Single Session Parenting Intervention Administered to Parents of Children Waiting to Receive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
This study tests a short online program to help parents of anxious children aged 5 to 12 learn how to support their kids better and reduce their anxiety.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 54 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Massachusetts General Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Boston, Massachusetts) |
| Trial ID | NCT06043271 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This intervention focuses on a single-session online program designed to assist parents of children aged 5 to 12 who are experiencing anxiety or OCD. The EMPOWER Program aims to reduce parent accommodation behaviors that can exacerbate children's anxiety. By providing a self-guided, web-based approach, the program seeks to improve access to mental health resources for families on long outpatient therapy waitlists. The study will evaluate the effectiveness of this intervention in reducing parent accommodation and its potential impact on children's anxiety levels.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this study are parents of children aged 5 to 12 who are experiencing anxiety or OCD and are awaiting therapy.
Not a fit: Patients whose children exhibit severe mood or behavior disorders or are currently receiving CBT may not benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could provide timely support to families, helping to alleviate children's anxiety symptoms before they worsen.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown that single-session interventions can effectively reduce anxiety in children, indicating a promising approach for this population.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Parents will be eligible to participate if: 1. Their child has anxiety and/or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) (either subclinical or clinical), as determined by an initial screening 2. Their child is between the age of 5 and 12 years-old 3. Parents are English-speaking 4. Parents are over the age of 18 years old Exclusion Criteria: Parents will be excluded if: 1. Their child shows symptoms of suicidal or homicidal ideation, psychosis, or primary severe mood or behavior disorder (i.e., if treatment for another disorder other than anxiety is indicate prior to treatment for anxiety) 2. Their child is already receiving CBT (i.e., transfer cases from other CBT providers in the community).
Where this trial is running
Boston, Massachusetts
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, Massachusetts, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Dina R Hirshfeld-Becker, PhD
- Email: dhirshfeld@mgb.org
- Phone: 617-724-2572
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.