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Graded Exposure Therapy for Fear Avoidance Behaviour After Concussion
Sponsor: University of British Columbia
Summary
Concussions are very common. Although many people recover well from concussion, some will have persistent symptoms and difficulties with daily activities. How people cope with their symptoms following concussion powerfully influences their recovery. Fear avoidance behaviour is a particularly unhelpful approach to coping, in which people perceive their pre-injury activities as unnecessarily dangerous and take great care to avoid overexertion and overstimulation. The investigators developed and pilot tested a behavioural therapy, called graded exposure therapy, to reduce fear avoidance behaviour. Our preliminary work suggested that graded exposure therapy was acceptable to patients with concussion and possibly beneficial for their recovery. The GET FAB after concussion study will assess the effectiveness of graded exposure therapy.
Official title: Graded Exposure Therapy for Fear Avoidance Behaviour (GET FAB) After Concussion
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - 69 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
220
Start Date
2022-06-01
Completion Date
2026-12-30
Last Updated
2026-03-31
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Graded Exposure Therapy
Graded exposure therapy is delivered by a psychologist over 12 individual (1:1) secure videoconference sessions. The core active ingredient is graded situational exposure to foster habituation and challenge beliefs that the avoided activities are dangerous. Homework exercises involve planned exposure exercises in the home and community to support generalization.
Prescribed aerobic exercise
Participants will be asked to complete 30 minutes of aerobic exercise on 5 days/week for a 12-week period. Participants select the mode (e.g., swimming, jogging, bicycling) and location of exercise (e.g., outdoors, a gym or community centre, at home). The initial exercise intensity target will be based on the Buffalo Concussion Bike Test. The target progression will be 3-5 beats per minute every two weeks.
Enhanced usual care
Usual care (education about concussion from the website: concussion.vch.ca/) will be enhanced through email message support.
Locations (7)
Calgary Brain Injury Program
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Fraser Health Acquired Brain Injury and Concussion Services
Langley, British Columbia, Canada
G.F. Strong Adult Concussion Services
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Sunnybrooke Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Head Injury Clinic at St. Michael's
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Hull-Ellis Concussion and Research Clinic
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Toronto Western Hospital
Toronto, Ontario, Canada