A brief psychological intervention for mothers of children with food allergy can change risk perception and reduce anxiety: outcomes of a randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Background

Mothers of children with food allergy have increased anxiety, which may be influenced by healthcare professionals' communication of risk.

Objective

To evaluate a brief psychological intervention for reducing anxiety in mothers of children with food allergy.

Methods

Two hundred mothers of children with food allergy were recruited from allergy clinics. A computer-generated randomization list was used to allocate participants to a single-session Cognitive Behavioural Therapy intervention including a risk communication module, or standard care. Anxiety and risk perception were assessed at 6 weeks and 1 year. Primary outcome was state anxiety at 6 weeks. Secondary outcomes included state anxiety at 1 year, risk perception at 6 weeks and 1 year, and salivary cortisol response to a simulated anaphylaxis scenario at 1 year.

Results

We found no significant difference in the primary outcome state anxiety at 6 weeks, with mean 31.9 (sd 10.2) intervention, 34.0 (10.2) control; mean difference 2.1 (95%CI -0.9, 5.0; P=0.17). There was significantly reduced state anxiety at 6 weeks in the intervention group, in the subgroup of participants with moderate/high anxiety at enrolment (103/200, 52%), with mean 33.0 (sd 9.3) intervention, 37.8 (sd 10.0) control; mean difference 4.8 (95% CI 0.9, 8.7; P=0.016; Cohen's d effect size 0.50). The psychological intervention also reduced risk perception and salivary cortisol response (P=0.032; effect size 0.36).

Conclusion

We found evidence that a brief psychological intervention which incorporates accurate risk information may impact on anxiety, risk perception and physiological stress response in mothers of children with food allergy.

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