Feasibility of a Virtual Group-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Intervention for Adolescents With Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction

Abstract

Objective:

Psychological intervention is an essential treatment component of disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBIs), but engagement in evidence-based intervention is far from routine. A group-based treatment delivered via telehealth may expand access to evidence-based care for adolescents with DGBIs. The current study describes the development and initial feasibility and acceptability of the Gastroenterology psychology skills for adolescents (GPS-A), a five-session cognitive behavioral group intervention that teaches adolescents evidence-based skills to manage a range of DGBI symptoms.

Method:

Participants were 33 adolescents with a range of DGBI diagnoses who completed the intervention group and provided quantitative and qualitative feedback. Participant-reported outcomes (somatic symptoms, functional disability, quality of life [QoL]) were collected pre- and postintervention and at 1-month follow-up.

Results:

Fifty-one percent of patients contacted (30% of all potentially eligible patients) agreed to participate in the group intervention. Retention was high, with 100% of participants completing five sessions. Participants identified skills, community and interpersonal connections, and validation of their gastrointestinal condition and experience as the most helpful intervention components. There was a significant positive difference in overall and emotional QoL from preintervention to 1-month follow-up, though no significant differences were found in somatic symptoms or functional disability.

Conclusions:

Unlike previously developed cognitive behavioral therapy interventions, GPS-A was both specific to patients with DGBI symptoms and flexible enough to incorporate a range of disorders (e.g., Irritable Bowel Syndrome, functional dyspepsia, and functional abdominal pain). Future directions include testing preliminary effectiveness in a larger sample and expanding diversity of the sample (gender, race/ethnicity).

Implications for Impact Statement

Psychological interventions have gained recognition as an indispensable component in the treatment of disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBIs) but access to evidence-based intervention is often challenging. The present study describes the development of a virtual, group-based, cognitive behavioral intervention for adolescents with DGBIs. Developed and piloted in a real-world clinical setting, the intervention proved feasible and acceptable, and as such represents a step toward increasing access to evidence-based care for adolescents with DGBIs.