NCT05730491

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to test efficacy of the REACH program in parents with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and their young children. The main question it aims to answer is:

  • How can parents with IBS help their young kids develop healthy habits? Participants will be asked to complete online surveys and to use a website. Researchers will compare results from parents who use one of two websites chosen by chance, like flipping a coin. One website focuses on child health and safety behaviors. The other website focuses on strategies to promote child wellness behaviors.

Trial Health

77
On Track

Trial Health Score

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

Enrollment
460

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
12mo left

Started Oct 2023

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
recruiting

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 Progress72%
Oct 2023Apr 2027

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

February 6, 2023

Completed
9 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

February 15, 2023

Completed
8 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

October 16, 2023

Completed
3.5 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

March 31, 2027

Expected
1 month until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

April 30, 2027

Last Updated

February 17, 2026

Status Verified

February 1, 2026

Enrollment Period

3.5 years

First QC Date

February 6, 2023

Last Update Submit

February 12, 2026

Conditions

Keywords

social learningcognitive behavioral therapyprevention interventionirritable bowel syndromesolicitous behaviorprotective factorspsychosocial interventionabdominal painrisk factorsillness behavior

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Change in parental encouragement of child illness behavior

    Assesses self-reported parental encouragement of child illness behavior. The Adult Responses to Child Symptoms (ARCS) has 29-items that load onto 3 subscales (Protectiveness, Monitoring/Encouragement, Minimization). Responses are rated on a 5-point scale ranging from "never" to "always." . Higher average scores indicate that the responses are more frequently used, and thus higher scores are less adaptive ways of responding.

    Baseline, 4-6 weeks, 6 months post-intervention, 12 months post-intervention, and 18 months post-intervention

Secondary Outcomes (13)

  • Change in anxiety

    Baseline, 4-6 weeks, 6 months post-intervention, 12 months post-intervention, and 18 months post-intervention

  • Change in pain catastrophizing

    Baseline, 4-6 weeks, 6 months post-intervention, 12 months post-intervention, and 18 months post-intervention

  • Change in positive and negative affect

    Baseline, 4-6 weeks, 6 months post-intervention, 12 months post-intervention, and 18 months post-intervention

  • Change in perceived social support

    Baseline, 4-6 weeks, 6 months post-intervention, 12 months post-intervention, and 18 months post-intervention

  • Change in health-related quality of life

    Baseline, 4-6 weeks, 6 months post-intervention, 12 months post-intervention, and 18 months post-intervention

  • +8 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (2)

Social Learning and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (SLCBT)

EXPERIMENTAL
Behavioral: Social Learning and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (SLCBT)

Attention Education Control

PLACEBO COMPARATOR
Behavioral: Attention Education Control

Interventions

Participants assigned to this group will complete an online program with 3 core skills, which will include strategies to promote wellness behaviors, use adaptive cognitive coping strategies, model wellness behaviors for their children, and determine when it is appropriate to take further action re: potential illness in their child. The website is interactive and self-guided. All participants will have access to the same resources and content, although based on responses to quizzes and skills practice questions, the automated feedback may differ slightly. The website includes treatment modules that share content via text, images, videos and recordings, a skills library that includes audio recordings of relaxation exercises, infographics to support skills practice, and behavioral assignments to record skills practice and receive automated feedback. Participants will review their knowledge at the end of each treatment module with brief quizzes.

Social Learning and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (SLCBT)

Participants assigned to the control group will receive access to a web program and complete 3 modules focused on child health and safety behaviors, such as sports and water safety. These participants will review written/visual content on the above topics, take quizzes to test knowledge gained, and will be provided with brief assignments to increase child safety behaviors. All participants assigned to the control group will have access to the same educational content.

Attention Education Control

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Parent/caregiver at least 18 years old
  • Parent diagnosed with IBS or idiopathic abdominal pain in the last five years OR
  • Parent meets ROME criteria for IBS (abdominal pain at least weekly; pain related to defecation, change in stool frequency, and change in stool form at least 30% of the time)
  • Is the parent primarily responsible for caring for the child on a day-to-day basis
  • Child is 4 to 7 years old at the time of screening. If multiple children are present in the family, the parent will be asked to select one child for study participation.
  • Child must currently live at least half of the time with the parent involved in intervention.
  • Parent and child must reside in the U.S.

You may not qualify if:

  • Not able to read/speak/understand English.
  • Child has a developmental disability that requires full-time special education
  • Child has chronic abdominal pain (pain most/every day for more than 3 months)
  • Child has a current doctor's diagnosis of a painful\* gastrointestinal disorder like functional constipation, lactose/fructose/gluten intolerance, celiac disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disorder, etc. (\*does not include nonpainful disorders like GERD)
  • Child has another severe chronic disease such as juvenile arthritis, cancer, or other severe condition(s) requiring chronic medical treatment.
  • Does not have regular access to the Internet on a desktop, tablet, phone, or laptop computer

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Seattle Children's Hospital

Seattle, Washington, 98105, United States

RECRUITING

Related Publications (1)

  • Levy RL, Murphy TB, van Tilburg MAL, Kuklinski MR, Bailey JA, Aalfs H, Badillo I, Diakhate H, Palermo TM. Protocol for a randomized controlled trial of an internet-based prevention intervention for young children at-risk for functional abdominal pain. Trials. 2024 Aug 19;25(1):549. doi: 10.1186/s13063-024-08371-8.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Irritable Bowel SyndromeAbdominal PainIllness Behavior

Interventions

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Colonic Diseases, FunctionalColonic DiseasesIntestinal DiseasesGastrointestinal DiseasesDigestive System DiseasesPainNeurologic ManifestationsSigns and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and SymptomsSigns and Symptoms, DigestiveBehavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior TherapyPsychotherapyBehavioral Disciplines and Activities

Central Study Contacts

Rona L Levy, PhD, MPH

CONTACT

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
TRIPLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Masking Details
Participants are not informed of their condition assignment and both receive online programs focused on healthy child behaviors. Investigators are blinded \& masked to study condition, and all outcomes are assessed via self-reported REDCap surveys. Care providers are not involved in the study (N/A).
Purpose
PREVENTION
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Model Details: Participants will be randomized to either an attention educational control website or social learning cognitive behavioral therapy (SLCBT) prevention intervention. A control arm is necessary in order to evaluate the efficacy of the SLCBT intervention.
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Professor, Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

February 6, 2023

First Posted

February 15, 2023

Study Start

October 16, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

March 31, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

April 30, 2027

Last Updated

February 17, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations