Improving Treatment for Children With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Problem Behavior...
Problem BehaviorIntellectual Disability1 moreChildren with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) often engage in problem behavior, and functional communication training (FCT) is a commonly used treatment for problem behavior in clinical settings. During FCT, children learn prosocial ways to request functional reinforcers (e.g., "their way") instead of using problem behavior. For example, a child who engages in self-injury to escape math instruction may be taught to exchange a break picture card to receive a brief break from the math task as an alternative to self-injury. While the efficacy of FCT is well established, less is known about its effects in school settings when procedures are necessarily adapted for feasibility. The purpose of this investigation is to develop and evaluate methods for implementing FCT for children with IDDs in school settings. The investigators will use single case experimental design, in which each participant will serve as their own control, to address the research questions. First, the investigators will evaluate the effects of providing higher quality, longer duration reinforcement for appropriate requests relative to problem behavior (e.g., 1-minute break with a preferred activity versus 20-s break alone) during FCT compared to providing equal reinforcement for appropriate requests and problem behavior. Next, the investigators will develop a treatment extension to teach children to complete academic work to gain access to their way. The investigators will use visual cues, such as a green and red index card to teach children when it is time to work and when they may access their way. The investigators will evaluate the effects of the treatment extension on academic work completion, appropriate requests, and problem behavior. Finally, the investigators will examine how visual cues influence children's behavior when educators implement intervention across different academic activities. The investigators will measure the extent to which educators implement programmed intervention procedures to inform treatment feasibility.
Effectiveness Study of a Treatment to Improve the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents
Child Mental DisorderBehavior ProblemThis randomized controlled trial evaluates the effectiveness of a psychotherapeutic intervention, the Common Elements Treatment Approach (CETA), to address the mental health needs of children and adolescents age 8-17 who have been affected by armed conflict in Kachin State, Myanmar. The 10-12 week talk-based counseling treatment, delivered by community mental health workers, will be evaluated against a wait-list control group. This project follows on a recently completed trial of CETA for adult trauma survivors from Myanmar along the Thai-Myanmar border which found that CETA was acceptable, accessible, and effective in improving mental health and functioning of adults. The investigators hypothesize that the intervention will be similarly effective for improving the mental health and functioning of children and adolescents.
Evaluation of Immediate and Medium-term Health- and Work-related Effects Following Inpatient Psychocardiological...
Cardiovascular DiseasesPsychiatric DisorderSince May 2019, psychocardiological rehabilitation has been carried out at the Rehabilitation Center Felbring (RFE) in the form of a pilot project. The background is the mutual relationship of psychological and physical morbidity, which is of particular importance in cardiological rehabilitation. The present outcome evaluation study is designed as a quantitative longitudinal study with 4 repeated measures, in which at least 75 rehabilitation patients will be included. Three assessments are conducted at admission and discharge to/from inpatient rehabilitation, and an additional survey will be conducted by mail 6 months after the end of rehabilitation. Effects that become apparent as a result of rehabilitation will be recorded from a patient-centered perspective by means of "patient-reported outcomes". In this way, primarily psychological and work-related changes, but also changes in the physical quality of life are to be mapped, which can be determined immediately after completion of rehabilitation and continue in the medium term up to 6 months later.
Monitoring of Sleep and Behavior of Children 3-7 Years Old Receiving Parent-Child Interaction Therapy...
Disruptive BehaviorAttention-deficit Hyperactivity1 moreThe purpose of this study is to develop an innovative wearable tracking protocol that will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to monitor sleep and behavior of 3-7 year old children.
Adjunctive Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Chronic PainPsychiatric DisordersTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is an investigational device that has not been approved for the treatment of any medical condition by the FDA but is allowed to be used for research purposes. In clinical trials tDCS has been associated with pain relief by decreasing the intensity and duration of chronic pain. tDCS potentially works by stimulating the brain by delivering an extremely low-level electrical current to areas below the forehead - areas associated with chronic pain. It is anticipated that this current will increase brain activity or the likelihood of brain activity in these areas, affecting individual's ability to regulate pain. The purpose of this study is to compare eligible participants in the Pain Management Program at The Menninger Clinic receiving adjunctive real transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) versus those receiving sham tDCS in the resolution of chronic pain. The primary objectives are: (1) improving pain tolerance and (2) improving subjective pain experience. Secondary objectives are: (1) improving subjective experience of sleep quality and (2) increasing physical activity.
Physical Activity in Insurance Medicine: Effects on Patients With Psychiatric Disorders
Depressive DisorderSomatoform Disorder2 moreWe will conduct a randomized control trial to investigate whether and to what extent regular and guided group physical activity over 12 weeks (2 sessions à 1 hour/week) improves physical fitness and (physio-)psychological functions (like subjective sleep, mental toughness, perceived stress, self-efficacy, etc.), as well as participation skills and the ability to work, in claimants for a disability pension due to psychiatric disorders, whose ability to work had recently been assessed by means of a psychiatric expert opinion. The control group is designed very similar and implies predominantly sedentary leisure time group activities (e.g. playing board games, doing handicrafts). Measures will be performed at baseline, post-test, and at follow ups three and twelve months after post-test, some variables will additionally be assessed 4-weekly during the intervention. We expect that intervention group participants will report and show, respectively, more improved physical fitness, (physio-)psychological functioning and participations skills, as well as increased ability to work, compared to the control group.
Speech-based Digital Biomarker for Psychiatric Disease
SpeechPsychiatric Disorder1 moreThe general objectives of this study are to build a proof-of-concept, speech-based, digital biomarker for identifying the presence and tracking the severity of psychiatric disease.
CLC Parent-Child Emotional Preparation Program
Emotional ConnectionChild Development2 moreThe purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of the Nurture Science Program's (NSP) Drop-In group via telemedicine as standard care at Children's Learning Centers (CLC) to prepare preschoolers emotionally for the preschool experience utilizing the Welch Emotional Connection Screen (WECS) Relational Health Toolkit. The behavioral, neurobiological, and clinical insights gained from this project may lead to better treatment of emotional, behavioral and developmental disorders.
Treatment of Elderly Subjects With Psychosis and Behavioral Disturbances Associated With Dementia...
Psychosis and Behavioral Disturbances Associated With Dementia of the Alzheimer's TypeThis is a 10-week study with bifeprunox and placebo in elderly subjects with psychosis and behavioral disturbances associated with dementia of the alzheimer's type.
Symptoms and Mechanisms of Child Psychiatric Disorders
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation DisorderAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder3 moreIn this study the investigators will examine psychiatric symptoms, central neurocognitive functions, parental stress and attachment styles, and biological factors that can give new knowledge about some of the mechanisms present in children referred to outpatient psychiatric clinics. A specific focus will be given to children suffering from severe irritability.