Clinical Research Directory

A Text-Based Expressive Writing Program for Adolescents at Risk of Suicide

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a structured expressive writing program can help reduce suicidal thoughts in adolescents and young adults who have experienced suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, or self-harm. The study will include participants aged 13 to 24 years who are receiving mental health care or have recently been identified as being at risk for suicide. The main questions the study aims to answer are: * Does a structured expressive writing program lower suicidal thoughts compared with usual care alone? * Does the program improve depression, impulsivity, and self-esteem? Researchers will compare participants who receive the expressive writing program together with treatment as usual to participants who receive treatment as usual alone. Participants will: * Be randomly assigned to one of two groups: a writing program group or a usual care group * Complete questionnaires about mood, suicidal thoughts, and well-being at the start of the study, after 4 weeks, and after 8 weeks * If assigned to the writing program group, complete guided writing activities several times per week for 4 weeks. Each writing session will take about 15 to 20 minutes and will focus on understanding emotions, personal experiences, relationships, and meaning in difficult experiences. Researchers will study whether this writing program is a helpful and practical way to support young people who are experiencing suicidal thoughts or emotional distress.

A Virtual Reality E-cigarette Prevention and Emotion Regulation Intervention for Adolescents

This study will examine E-Invite Only VR, a novel school-based universal e-cigarette prevention intervention that uses virtual reality (VR) to deliver prevention and emotion regulation skills-building content to middle school students in real-world classrooms. If successful, E-invite Only VR has the potential to prevent adolescents from experiencing a multitude of poor health outcomes related to nicotine vaping, including cancer.

Mental Health Literacy and Help-Seeking Behavior Among Adolescents

This study examines mental health awareness and help-seeking behaviors among adolescents aged 13-18 years in Assiut City, Egypt. Mental health problems are common among young people, but many adolescents do not seek professional help when they need it. This is often due to low mental health literacy (not understanding mental health problems or knowing where to get help), stigma (negative attitudes toward mental illness), and fears about confidentiality or being judged. The study has two parts: Part 1 - Assessment Phase: Researchers will survey approximately 270 students from preparatory and secondary schools in Assiut to understand their current levels of mental health literacy, stigma, and willingness to seek help for mental health problems. Students will complete validated questionnaires that measure their knowledge about mental health, their attitudes toward peers with mental health problems, and their intentions to seek help from various sources. Part 2 - Intervention Phase: In a randomized controlled trial involving 150 students (75 in an intervention group and 75 in a control group), researchers will test whether a brief educational program can improve mental health literacy, reduce stigma, and increase help-seeking intentions. The intervention consists of three weekly classroom sessions covering: (1) mental health literacy - basic concepts, common problems in adolescents like stress and anxiety, recognizing symptoms; (2) stigma reduction - understanding how negative labels hurt people, recognizing public and self-stigma, using respectful language; and (3) help-seeking behavior - knowing when to seek help, understanding formal and informal help sources, overcoming barriers, and learning about local resources in Assiut. Students in both groups will complete questionnaires before the intervention and one month after completion. The control group will not receive the educational sessions during the study period. Researchers will compare changes in mental health knowledge, stigma levels, and help-seeking attitudes between the two groups to determine whether the program is effective. The study aims to address a critical gap in mental health services for adolescents in Upper Egypt by improving young people's understanding of mental health and encouraging them to seek appropriate help when needed.

Active Families, Healthy Minds: A Family-Centered School Physical Activity Program for Early Adolescents

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a family-centered school physical activity program, titled "Active Families, Healthy Minds," designed to improve mental health among early adolescents (ages 10-14) in China. In response to high academic pressure and low physical activity levels, this program integrates structured physical education sessions at school with simple, interactive home-based activity routines involving parents. The study compares this family-supported intervention against a standard school-only physical activity program and a wait-list control group. The primary goal is to determine if involving parents in school-based physical activity initiatives leads to better mental well-being, increased habitual physical activity, and stronger family support compared to school-only approaches.

Task-Shifting for Youth Suicide Prevention

The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and mechanisms of change of a brief adaptation of Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents (IPT-A), adapted and task-shifted to lay providers (mentors, youth trusted adults) in youth community centers (YCCs) as an upstream approach to suicide. It focuses on Hispanic adolescents ages 12-17 enrolled in these YCCs. The pragmatic clinical trial will evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of adapted IPT-A delivered by mentors in YCCs and whether adapted IPT-A impacts mechanisms of change (depression symptoms, belongingness, and feeling like a burden to others). The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is adpated IPT-A, when delivered by trained youth mentors, feasible and acceptable in youth community centers? * Does adapted IPT-A target key risk factors (e.g., depressive symptoms, low belongingness, and perceived burdensomeness) associated with suicide ideation? Researchers will compare adolescents randomized to adapted IPT-A (6 sessions) delivered by a trained youth mentor with those receiving usual services at the community center (one individual session focused on active listening). Participants will: * Be screened for subthreshold depression using the PHQ-9 adolescent version. Adolescents will be included if they score between 4 and 9 (mild depression). Adolescents with a PHQ-9 score of 10 or higher will not be eligible and will be referred to a licensed mental health provider for appropriate care. * Be randomized to adapted IPT-A or usual care. * Youth in the intervention arm will participate in 6 weekly adapted IPT-A sessions with a trained youth mentor focused on education, affect identification, and interpersonal skills.

Effects of a Multifaceted School-Based Intervention to Protect Mental Health and Prevent Suicidal Behaviour in Adolescents in Spain

What is this study about? This study aims to find out if a school-based program can help improve mental health and prevent suicidal thoughts and behaviors in teenagers in Spain. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among young people. Many teens who think about or attempt suicide are also struggling with mental health problems like depression. Schools offer a unique opportunity to help because almost all adolescents attend school regularly. What will happen in the study? The study will include about 2,280 students aged 12 to 16 years from 38 secondary schools in the Balearic Islands, Spain. Schools will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: Intervention group: Students will participate in four weekly classroom sessions led by trained psychologists. These sessions will help students learn about mental health, manage their emotions, recognize signs of distress in themselves or others, and ask for help when needed. At the same time, parents and teachers will follow a digital training program with videos and resources to help them support students' mental health and recognize warning signs. Control group: Students will receive a minimal intervention, which includes educational posters displayed in classrooms. What is the purpose of this program? The main goal is to reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The program also aims to improve students' overall mental well-being, reduce depression symptoms, and encourage help-seeking behaviors. It also helps parents and teachers feel more confident in supporting teens who may be at risk. How will the study be evaluated? Students will complete questionnaires at the start of the study and again after six months. These surveys will ask about mental health, suicidal thoughts, emotional well-being, self-harm, substance use, and experiences with bullying. Parents and teachers will also complete surveys about their knowledge and confidence in supporting students. Why is this study important? There is an urgent need to find effective ways to prevent suicide and support young people's mental health. This program involves students, families, and schools in working together to create a safe and supportive environment. If the program works, it could be used in schools throughout Spain and possibly in other countries too. Who is funding this study? The study is funded by Fundación Mutua Madrileña.