Online Social Learning Program for Parents with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Raising Resilient Children

This study is testing an online program called REACH for parents who have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or ongoing abdominal pain. The goal is to see how parents with IBS can help their young children develop healthy habits. You would complete online surveys and use a website. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two online programs: Social Learning and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (SLCBT), which teaches strategies for wellness, or an Attention Education Control program, which focuses on child health and safety. Researchers will look at how much parents encourage their child's illness behaviors over 18 months. The study aims to enroll 460 parents who are at least 18 years old and have IBS or idiopathic (unknown cause) abdominal pain, and their children aged 4-7 years. The current status of the study is unclear.

Study design: This is an interventional study that plans to enroll 460 participants. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two online programs.
What's involved: You would complete online surveys and use a website. The study measures changes at baseline, 4-6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months post-intervention.
Compensation: Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up: Participants will be followed for 18 months after completing the online program.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

Online Social Learning Program for Parents With Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Raising Resilient Children

Recruiting

NAAges 18+InterventionalPrevention

Seattle Children's Hospital

~460 participants

Updated 2026-02-17 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What's tested:Social Learning and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (SLCBT)Attention Education Control

At a glance

Recruiting sites

1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now

RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open

What they're measuring

Change in parental encouragement of child illness behavior

Measured over Baseline, 4-6 weeks, 6 months post-intervention, 12 months post-intervention, and 18 months post-intervention

Conditions

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Abdominal Pain

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states

Washington1

Who to contact

Tonya M Palermo, PhD

[email protected]

206-884-4208

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Parent/caregiver at least 18 years old

Parent diagnosed with IBS or idiopathic abdominal pain in the last five years OR

Parent meets ROME criteria for IBS (abdominal pain at least weekly; pain related to defecation, change in stool frequency, and change in stool form at least 30% of the time)

Is the parent primarily responsible for caring for the child on a day-to-day basis

Child is 4 to 7 years old at the time of screening. If multiple children are present in the family, the parent will be asked to select one child for study participation.

Child must currently live at least half of the time with the parent involved in intervention.

Parent and child must reside in the U.S.

Exclusion

Not able to read/speak/understand English.

Child has a developmental disability that requires full-time special education

Child has chronic abdominal pain (pain most/every day for more than 3 months)

Child has a current doctor's diagnosis of a painful\* gastrointestinal disorder like functional constipation, lactose/fructose/gluten intolerance, celiac disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disorder, etc. (\*does not include nonpainful disorders like GERD)

Child has another severe chronic disease such as juvenile arthritis, cancer, or other severe condition(s) requiring chronic medical treatment.

Does not have regular access to the Internet on a desktop, tablet, phone, or laptop computer

What this trial measures

Change in parental encouragement of child illness behaviorBaseline, 4-6 weeks, 6 months post-intervention, 12 months post-intervention, and 18 months post-intervention
Assesses self-reported parental encouragement of child illness behavior. The Adult Responses to Child Symptoms (ARCS) has 29-items that load onto 3 subscales (Protectiveness, Monitoring/Encouragement, Minimization). Responses are rated on a 5-point scale ranging from "never" to "always." . Higher average scores indicate that the responses are more frequently used, and thus higher scores are less adaptive ways of responding.

Trialytics