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Evaluating Modular Approach to Therapy for Children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and Conduct Problems
Kristine Amlund Hagen1, Asgeir Røyrhus Olseth2, Hanne Laland2
1The Norwegian Center for Child Behavioral Development (NCCBD), a University of Oslo affiliate, Postboks 7053, Majorstuen, 0306, Oslo, Norway. k.a.hagen@nubu.no.
Insights
This study evaluates the Modular Approach to Therapy for children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and Conduct problems (MATCH-ADTC) in Norway. It aims to improve mental health outcomes for children and families by increasing the use of evidence-based practices.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health
- Evidence-Based Practices
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Norwegian child and adolescent mental health services face challenges in delivering high-quality, evidence-based care.
- Common childhood disorders like depression, anxiety, and trauma are undertreated due to complex cases and shifting needs.
- The Modular Approach to Therapy for children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and Conduct problems (MATCH-ADTC) was developed to overcome these barriers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of MATCH-ADTC in a Norwegian clinical setting.
- To compare treatment outcomes between therapists trained in MATCH-ADTC and those providing treatment as usual (TAU).
- To assess the feasibility and impact of implementing a feedback-driven, evidence-based therapy model.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 280 children (aged 6-14.5) and their families in Norwegian outpatient clinics.
- Families were randomized to receive either MATCH-ADTC or TAU.
- Data collection included symptomology, functioning, demographics, treatment response feedback, session recordings, and implementation quality scores over six waves.
Main Results:
- While specific results are pending trial completion, the study is designed to identify potential improvements in treatment outcomes for children and families.
- It will assess whether MATCH-ADTC leads to more efficient improvements compared to TAU.
- The study will also measure clinicians' adoption of evidence-based practices.
Conclusions:
- This trial will determine if MATCH-ADTC yields comparable or superior results in Norway to those seen in the US.
- Findings may lead to better treatment outcomes and more efficient care for Norwegian children with mental health issues.
- The study will inform the broader implementation of evidence-based practices and feedback mechanisms in child mental health services.
Background:
Norwegian health, care, and welfare services are experiencing increased demands to deliver services that are safe, effective, of high quality, and that ensure user involvement. Yet, evidence-based treatment for common disorders such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and behavioral problems in children are not regularly used in clinical practice in Norway. Possible explanations for this are that many standard, evidence-based treatments may have difficulty addressing the complexity and comorbidity of referred children and the fact that children's treatment needs often shift during treatment. The Modular Approach to Therapy for children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and Conduct problems (MATCH-ADTC) was designed to address these challenges and reduce some of the barriers to therapists' use of evidence-based treatment in their practice.
Methods/Design:
Participants will include 280 children (aged 6-14.5 years at intake) who receive treatment in child and adolescent mental health outpatient clinics in Norway, and their families. Families are randomly assigned to either the experimental group receiving treatment from therapists trained in MATCH, or to the comparison group receiving treatment from therapists delivering treatment as usual (TAU). Data on children's symptomology, child and family functioning, demographics, background information, and mental health outcomes are collected as well as frequent feedback on treatment response, plus video-recordings of treatment sessions and implementation quality scores from each participating clinic. Questionnaires are administered in six waves.
Discussion:
MATCH has been tested in the US with promising results, but we do not know whether this treatment approach will produce similar results in Norway. The implications of this study are 1. Possibly better treatment outcomes and/or more efficient improvements for children and families treated in mental health outpatient clinics in Norway 2. Clinicians learning to use more evidence-based practices in their treatment 3. Implementation of standard procedures for obtaining feedback from children and families and sharing the feedback with clinicians 4. Increased understanding, at the end of the trial, of whether introducing MATCH improves outcomes for children and families treated in mental health outpatient clinics TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN, registration number: ISRCTN24029895 . Registered on 8 August 2016.
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