NCT00409058

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to learn if using the World Wide Web to train teens and their families in problem-solving, communication skills, and stress management strategies can help them to cope better following traumatic brain injury (TBI). To answer this question, we will look at changes from before the intervention to after the intervention on questionnaire measures of problem-solving skills, communication, social competence, adjustment, and family stress and burden. We hypothesize that families receiving the TOPS intervention will have better parent-child communication and problem-solving skills at follow-up than those receiving the IRC intervention. Additionally, families receiving the TOPS intervention will have lower levels of parental distress, fewer child behavior problems and better child functioning than those receiving the IRC intervention. Lastly, treatment effects will be moderated by SES and life stresses, such that families with greater social disadvantage will benefit more from the TOPS intervention.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
42

participants targeted

Target at P25-P50 for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Oct 2005

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

2 active sites

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

October 1, 2005

Completed
1.2 years until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

December 7, 2006

Completed
1 day until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

December 8, 2006

Completed
2.9 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

November 1, 2009

Completed
1 month until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

December 1, 2009

Completed
Last Updated

October 28, 2014

Status Verified

September 1, 2014

Enrollment Period

4.1 years

First QC Date

December 7, 2006

Last Update Submit

October 27, 2014

Conditions

Keywords

TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury)Intracranial EdemaBrain EdemaCraniocerebral TraumaHead InjuryBrain Hemorrhage, TraumaticSubdural HematomaBrain ConcussionHead Injuries, Closed

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Parent Report Measures

    4 years

Secondary Outcomes (1)

  • Teen Self-Report Measures

    4 years

Study Arms (2)

Teen Online Problem Solving

EXPERIMENTAL

The TOPS program has 10 sessions that provide training in stress management, problem solving, communication, and social skills to all enrolled families, while the remaining 6 sessions address content related to the stressors and burdens of individual families. Each self-guided online session includes real adolescents talking about how TBI affected them, content regarding the skill, video clips showing adolescents and/or families modeling the skill, and exercises giving the family an opportunity to practice the skill. After the completion of the self-guided web pages, the family will meet with the therapist via videoconference; the therapist will review the exercises and help the family implement the problem-solving process with a problem or goal identified by the family.

Behavioral: Teen Online Problem Solving

Internet Resources Comparison

EXPERIMENTAL

Families in the IRC group will also receive a computer, printer, and high-speed internet access if they do not currently have these. Additionally, IRC families receive access to a home page of brain injury resources and links (identical to those given on the TOPS and TOPS-TO homepage) but will not be able to access specific session content. This will enable us to equate the groups with respect to access to the information and resources available on the Web.

Behavioral: Teen Online Problem Solving

Interventions

We will test the following hypotheses: 1) Children with TBI receiving TOPS will have fewer behavior problems, greater social competence, and better functioning than those receiving IRC at both post-treatment and at a 6-month follow-up assessment. 2) Caregivers of children receiving TOPS will report less depression and psychological distress, less parent-child conflict, and better family functioning than those receiving IRC at both post-treatment and at a 6-month follow-up assessment. 3) Social resources will moderate treatment efficacy, such that children with limited social and economic resources will show greater improvements in the more comprehensive TOPS intervention. We hypothesize better teen problem solving and communication skills, fewer teen emotional/behavioral problems, less parental burden and distress, and less parent-teen conflict at follow-up among the TOPS group compared to the IRC group.

Also known as: TOPS, IRC
Internet Resources ComparisonTeen Online Problem Solving

Eligibility Criteria

Age11 Years - 18 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsChild (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

  • between 11 and 18 years of age
  • moderate to severe traumatic brain injury
  • overnight hospital stay
  • injury occurred within the last 12 months

You may not qualify if:

  • younger than 11 and older than 18 years of age
  • injury occurred more than 12 months ago
  • teen does not live with parents or guardian
  • English not spoken in the home
  • injury is a result of child abuse as documented by medical record
  • child or parent has history of hospitalization for a psychiatric problem
  • documentation that the injury is a result of child abuse
  • child suffered a non-blunt injury (e.g. projectile wounds, stroke, drowning, or other form of asphyxiation)
  • child ever diagnosed with moderate or severe mental retardation, Autism, or a significant developmental disability (child must be able to talk)
  • plans for the child to leave home during the coming 12 months.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (2)

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

Cincinnati, Ohio, 45229, United States

Location

Nationwide Children's Hospital

Columbus, Ohio, 43205, United States

Location

Related Publications (3)

  • Wade SL, Fisher AP, Kaizar EE, Yeates KO, Taylor HG, Zhang N. Recovery Trajectories of Child and Family Outcomes Following Online Family Problem-Solving Therapy for Children and Adolescents after Traumatic Brain Injury. J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2019 Oct;25(9):941-949. doi: 10.1017/S1355617719000778. Epub 2019 Aug 13.

  • Wade SL, Kaizar EE, Narad M, Zang H, Kurowski BG, Yeates KO, Taylor HG, Zhang N. Online Family Problem-solving Treatment for Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury. Pediatrics. 2018 Dec;142(6):e20180422. doi: 10.1542/peds.2018-0422. Epub 2018 Nov 9.

  • Wade SL, Walz NC, Carey J, McMullen KM, Cass J, Mark E, Yeates KO. A randomized trial of teen online problem solving: efficacy in improving caregiver outcomes after brain injury. Health Psychol. 2012 Nov;31(6):767-76. doi: 10.1037/a0028440. Epub 2012 Jul 2.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Brain Injuries, TraumaticBrain EdemaCraniocerebral TraumaHematomaBrain ConcussionBrain Hemorrhage, TraumaticHematoma, SubduralHead Injuries, Closed

Interventions

TOPS

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Brain InjuriesBrain DiseasesCentral Nervous System DiseasesNervous System DiseasesTrauma, Nervous SystemWounds and InjuriesHemorrhagePathologic ProcessesPathological Conditions, Signs and SymptomsWounds, NonpenetratingIntracranial Hemorrhage, TraumaticIntracranial HemorrhagesCerebrovascular DisordersVascular DiseasesCardiovascular Diseases

Study Officials

  • Shari L Wade, PhD

    Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

December 7, 2006

First Posted

December 8, 2006

Study Start

October 1, 2005

Primary Completion

November 1, 2009

Study Completion

December 1, 2009

Last Updated

October 28, 2014

Record last verified: 2014-09

Locations