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Project Title:
A Test of Two Online Interventions for Child Brain Injury
Funding Agency:
Cincinnati Children's Medical Center (National Institues of Health)
Total Project Period:
Sep 30, 2003 – Aug 31, 2009
Principal Investigator:
Armando Rotondi, PhD
Co-Investigator(s):
Susan Beers, PhD; Christina Newhill, PhD, David Adelson, MD
Project Summary:
Moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children is a significant family stressor resulting in increased caregiver burden, impaired psychological adjustment among caregivers, and deteriorating family functioning. Empirically based interventions to address family needs following TBI are limited, and access to skilled therapists can be restricted by distance and finances. The current project seeks to address these needs by testing the efficacy of two contrasting models of online intervention for families of children with moderate to severe TBI: individualized online Family Problem Solving Therapy (FPS) and online Case Management and Multi-Family support group (CM). Although both treatments have the goal of reducing caregiver stress and burden, they differ with respect to their primary targets (FPS-cognitive appraisals and problem solving; CM – information and support), the intensity of therapeutic contact, and the cost of implementation.
We propose to examine the efficacy of these two online treatments in a randomized trial comparing the effects of FPS and CM to standard care (SC). Primary outcomes include: 1) problem-solving skills; 2) injury-related stress and burden; 3) caregiver depression and anxiety; and 4) parenting stress. Participants will include the families of children, aged 5 - 16, who have experienced a moderate to severe TBI between 1 and 12 months prior to study participation. Families will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions: FPS, CM, or SC. Group differences will be examined using a multivariate approach to analysis of covariance, controlling for injury severity, child’s age, sociodemographic status, and time since injury.
We hypothesize less injury-related stress, lower levels of anxiety and depression, and less parenting stress in the two intervention groups compared to the standard care group. We further hypothesize that FPS will be associated with better outcomes relative to CM in families with high levels of child-related stress and family dysfunction at baseline. Our overarching goal is to identify effective treatments for reducing psychological distress in caregivers, thereby enabling the family to optimally support the child's recovery from TBI. |
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