Retraining and Control Therapy (ReACT): Sense of Control and Symptom Expectations as Targets of a Treatment for PNES

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess sense of control and catastrophic symptom expectations as targets for Retraining and Control Therapy (ReACT- an intervention focused on changing behaviors and thoughts) for treatment of pediatric psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES, episodes resembling epileptic seizures but with no medical explanation). 11-18-year-olds diagnosed with PNES will engage in twelve sessions of ReACT. Sense of control over actions will be measured by the magic and turbulence task, a well-validated measure of sense of control. Participants will complete the cold pressor test (CPT) in which participants hold their hand in cool water for as long as possible up to 3 minutes. Catastrophic symptom expectations in response to the CPT will be measured by Pain Catastrophizing Scale for Children (PCS-C) pain tolerance (time with hand in water) and cortisol response. Target assessments will occur 7 days before treatment, 7 days after 8th treatment session, 7 days after 12th treatment session, 6 months and 12 months after the 12th treatment session. PNES frequency will be measured from 30 days before to 12 months after treatment.

Condition

  • Convulsion, Non-Epileptic

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 11 Years and 18 Years
Eligible Genders
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

  • 9-18 years old. - Diagnosis of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures by a medical doctor using video-EEG. - Family member (parent if a minor) willing to participate and that the subject with PNES chooses.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Comorbid Epilepsy - Less than 4 PNES per month - Other paroxysmal nonepileptic events (e.g. episodes related to hypoxic-ischemic phenomena, sleep disorders or migraine-associated disorders) - Participation in other therapy - Severe intellectual disability - Severe mental illness (delusions/hallucinations) Exclusion for CPT: - Blood pressure >130/80 mmHg for adolescents greater than or equal to 13 years old - Either systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 95% based on sex and age for children less than 13 years old

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Intervention Model Description
Children with PNES and matched controls will be prospectively enrolled.
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
Double (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Masking Description
Researchers who conduct baseline and follow-up visits will be blinded to the condition (booster or no booster) to which the patient has been assigned. The statistician and data manger will be blinded to treatment condition when analyzing data. The PI and therapists will be blinded to participant's baseline target scores.

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
CPT- Pain relief lotion 		During the initial visit participant will do the cold pressor test twice to assess catastrophic symptom expectations. After completing the 1st CPT, participants will be randomized to receive a pain relief lotion or pain sensitivity lotion. Participants will then repeat the CPT with the lotion applied to their hand.
  • Behavioral: ReACT
    ReACT is a novel cognitive behavioral treatment and is a PNES intervention that targets sense of control and catastrophic symptom expectations
    Other names:
    • Retraining and Control Therapy
Experimental
CPT- Pain sensitivity lotion 		During the initial visit participant will do the cold pressor test twice to assess catastrophic symptom expectation. After completing the 1st CPT, participants will be randomized to receive a pain relief lotion or pain sensitivity lotion. Participants will then repeat the CPT with the lotion applied to their hand.
  • Behavioral: ReACT
    ReACT is a novel cognitive behavioral treatment and is a PNES intervention that targets sense of control and catastrophic symptom expectations
    Other names:
    • Retraining and Control Therapy
Active Comparator
ReACT for PNES- Booster therapy sessions 		After completing the 12 therapy sessions, half of the participants will be randomized to receive 2 booster therapy sessions, 3 months and 9 months after the 12th ReACT treatment session.
  • Behavioral: ReACT
    ReACT is a novel cognitive behavioral treatment and is a PNES intervention that targets sense of control and catastrophic symptom expectations
    Other names:
    • Retraining and Control Therapy
Experimental
ReACT for PNES- No Booster therapy sessions 		After completing the 12 ReACT treatment sessions, half of the participants will be randomized to not receive the 2 booster therapy sessions.
  • Behavioral: ReACT
    ReACT is a novel cognitive behavioral treatment and is a PNES intervention that targets sense of control and catastrophic symptom expectations
    Other names:
    • Retraining and Control Therapy
No Intervention
Healthy Control 		Healthy controls are matched to participants with PNES based on age (+ or - 1 year), gender, race and family income. Healthy controls and their parent come for 1 baseline laboratory visit and a follow up visit 13 weeks after the baseline visit. These visits will be identical to baseline and follow-up visits of children with PNES.

Recruiting Locations

Sparks Center Office of Psychiatric Research
Birmingham, Alabama 35294
Contact:
Badhma Valaiyapathi, MD
205-975-4205
bvalaiyapathi@uabmc.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Study Contact

Aaron Fobian, PhD
205-934-2241
afobian@uabmc.edu

Detailed Description

PNES participants and their parent come to our laboratory for a baseline visit, 4 follow-up visits and 12 therapy sessions. Half of the participants will be randomized to receive 2 booster therapy sessions. Participants must provide EEG results indicating a diagnosis of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. During the initial visit, participants and their parent will complete several questionnaires assessing demographics, mood and suicidality, relationships with friends and family, as well as past and current PNES symptoms. They will also complete the childhood trauma questionnaire. The treatment targets (sense of control and catastrophic symptom expectations), will be measured by the magic and turbulence computer task and pain tolerance, PCS-C and cortisol response to the CPT, respectively. After completing the CPT, participants will be randomized to receive a pain relief lotion or a pain sensitivity lotion. Participants will then repeat the CPT with the lotion applied to their hand. PNES diaries will be completed to assess PNES frequency over the previous 30 days. The baseline lab visit will last about 3 hours. Saliva will be collected over 3 time points before and after each CPT to measure cortisol response to the CPT. Participants will also collect 2 saliva samples 24 hours later to serve as a baseline outside of the laboratory setting. Participants will also be given a Respironics Actiwatch Spectrum Pro to track sleep and PENS episode severity and frequency for the 1 week between the baseline visit and first ReACT session. All participants will then be scheduled to return in one week for their first of 12 sessions of ReACT. Before beginning the first ReACT session, participants will complete the Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention, List Sorting Working Memory, Pattern Comparison Processing Speed, Dimensional Change Card Sort, and Picture Sequence Memory subtests. This first session will last a maximum of two hours, and the following 11 sessions will be scheduled weekly and will each last one hour. The following 11 sessions are currently conducted via telehealth due to COVID-19. Participants will be mailed another Respironics Actiwatch Spectrum Pro before the 11th therapy session to track sleep and PENS episode severity and frequency for the 2 weeks between the 11th therapy session and the lab visit one week after the 12th treatment session. To assess treatment dose, participants will return for post lab visits one week after the 8th treatment session and 12th treatment sessions to perform tasks and fill out questionnaires completed at baseline. Long-term follow-up at 6 months and 12 months after treatment will also be conducted to perform tasks and complete follow-up assessment of the targets (sense of control and catastrophic symptom expectations), FS frequency and questionnaires. Participants will complete the Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention, List Sorting Working Memory, Pattern Comparison Processing Speed, Dimensional Change Card Sort, and Picture Sequence Memory subtests at the lab visit after the 12th treatment session and 6- and 12-month long-term follow-up visits. Each of these sessions will last 2 hours. PNES frequency will be measured from 30 days before treatment to 12 months after treatment through PNES diaries completed by the parent and the participant. After treatment, half of the participants will be randomized to receive 2 booster therapy sessions at 3 months and 9 months after the end of treatment. Each of these sessions will last one hour. Healthy controls are matched to participants with PNES based on age (+ or - 1 year), gender, race and family income. Healthy controls and their parent come for a baseline laboratory visit and a follow up visit 13 weeks after the baseline visit. The baseline and follow-up appointments for healthy controls will be identical to the visits for children with PNES.