Evaluation of a Primary Prevention Program for Anxiety Disorders Using Story Books (TrucsDeDom)

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of a primary prevention program for anxiety disorders.

This study was completed between 2000 and 2002, with the final report transmitted to the Quebec ministry of health in 2003.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Anxiety
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Dominique's Handy Tricks

Detailed Description

This study reports the results of a study evaluating a book-supported prevention program "Dominique's Handy Tricks" for anxiety disorders in children aged 9 to 12 years of age. This cognitive-behavioural program is delivered using a combination of story-based books and workshop sessions. The originality of the program comes from the use of story books that were not developed for anxiety management specifically. Every session is based on a story describing characters facing common stressors in childhood and how they managed to cope with their daily problems. In our randomized control trial with 46 children, participation in the program lead to a significant improvement in coping skills, self-efficacy, anxiety sensitivity, signs of anxiety and phobic avoidance. The theoretical and practical elements underlying the delivery of this primary prevention programs are described. It is suggested that such an approach, without any labelling specific to anxiety disorders, can be useful in universal primary prevention programs.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 73
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Quebec
    • Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, J8X 3X7
      • Universite du Quebec en Outaouais

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 9 years to 12 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion criteria:

• Recruitment for this study was open to every child in the school and was carried out with the help of staff from schools in Gatineau and Saint-André Avelin, Quebec.
• A total of 73 children aged between 9 and 12 years of age were screened.

Exclusion criteria:

Since the program does not target a clinical population, the following exclusion criteria were used:

• (1) a global score > 75 on the Child Behavior Checklist;
• (2) a score > 60 on the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED, child version);
• (3) outliers on outcome measures administered at pre-test; and
• (4) children who did not show up for the first workshop. The final enrolled study sample consisted of 59 children.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Waiting list control - no intervention; No intervention. After the post-test they were offered the prevention program.
Experimental: Dominique's handy tricks; Children assisted to 10 workshops where they learned exercises to control their stress and anxiety.	Behavioral: Dominique's Handy Tricks; Children assisted to 10 workshops where they learned exercises to control their stress and anxiety.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from pre-program on the Coping scale for children and youth	Self-report questionnaire. Participants were assessed before implementing the prevention program (pre), after the program (week 10) and at the 6-month follow-up.	Pre (week 0), Post (week 10), F-up (6-months)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from pre-program on the Childhood anxiety sensitivity index	Self-report questionnaire. Self-report questionnaire. Participants were assessed before implementing the prevention program (pre), after the program (week 10) and at the 6-month follow-up.	Pre (week 0), Post (week 10), F-up (6-months)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universite du Quebec en Outaouais
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Stephane Bouchard, Ph.D., Universite du Quebec en Outaouais

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Stéphane Bouchard, Jean Gervais, Nadia Gagnier. Évaluation d'un programme de prévention primaire des troubles d'anxiété pour les enfants de 9 à 12 ans : les trucs de Dominique. Rapport de recherche présenté à la Régie régionale de la santé et des services sociaux de l'Outaouais, Direction de la santé publique. 2003. Library number: J506 A58 B68.2003 ISBN 2-89251-157-7

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: March 1, 2000
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 1, 2002
• Study Completion (Actual): August 1, 2002

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 7, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 11, 2011
• First Posted (Estimate): July 12, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): July 28, 2011
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 27, 2011
• Last Verified: July 1, 2011

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Anxiety; Primary prevention; No condition
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Anxiety Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: RegieRegionale-07-2000-05; Les Trucs de Dominique (Other Identifier: Now named : Agence de Santé et des Services Sociaux)