None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
We aim to compare the efficacy of two novel prevention programs aimed at building resilience to manage worry, anxiety and depression in children, namely an Emotion Regulation-based (ER) program, and a Behaviour Activation-based (BA) program. The Emotion Regulation-based program has a main focus on identifying and understanding emotions, and developing positive emotion regulation strategies to manage these emotions. Developing healthy emotion regulation has been shown to improve wellbeing and successfully reduce anxiety and depression in children. The Behavioural Activation-based program aims to teach children about worry and what behaviours might be helpful to deal with these situations. Students will learn to problem solve ways to manage their worry and increase their engagement in activities that they enjoy and that are important to them. These in turn, will improve their resilience and increase resources for dealing with emotional difficulties. South Australian students between the ages of 8-13 are eligible to participate in this study. Participating schools will be randomly selected to receive one of the two programs, or into a control group whereby students will complete lessons as normal. All participating students are requested to complete questionnaires measuring worry, resilience, anxiety, depression, emotion regulation, behavioural activation, and working memory at pre-program, post-program, and at 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-up periods. It is expected that participants in the ER and BA programs would report fewer symptoms of worry, anxiety and depression, and greater levels of resilience and working memory at post-program and at 6-, 12- and 24-month follow-up periods, compared to those in the control condition.
Interventions
This trial contains three conditions (2 x active, 1 x control) aimed at children between the ages of 8-13. The active conditions are two prevention programs aimed to reduce worry, anxiety and depression, and improve resilience. Programs are delivered to classes (approx 20-30 participants) of students within school time. Programs consist of eight 50 minute sessions, delivered weekly by a provisional psychologist with a bachelor's (honours) degree in psychology, and a research assistant who is com
This trial contains three conditions (2 x active, 1 x control) aimed at children between the ages of 8-13. The active conditions are two prevention programs aimed to reduce worry, anxiety and depression, and improve resilience. Programs are delivered to classes (approx 20-30 participants) of students within school time. Programs consist of eight 50 minute sessions, delivered weekly by a provisional psychologist with a bachelor's (honours) degree in psychology, and a research assistant who is completing their bachelor's degree in psychology. Arm 1 - Emotion Regulation (ER) program: the ER program consisted of three main components: 1) identifying and understanding one’s own emotions and the emotions of others, 2) becoming familiar with the relationships between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, and how thoughts can affect emotion regulation, and 3) practical prevention strategies, such as the importance of healthy eating and exercise, and their effects on emotion regulation. Arm 2 - Behavioural activation (BA) program: The BA program begins with learning about worry and avoidance, and the consequences of these factors on functioning. Children are then assisted with identifying their own patterns of avoidance behaviours, and encouraged to overcome such avoidance by constructing and practising alternative behaviours. Children are supported in setting short-term and long-term goals that align with positive outcomes, and are encouraged to develop practical behaviours that are in line with these goals. Arm 3 - Control condition: children are assigned to a usual class control condition whereby they attend their regular scheduled classes (i.e., no program is delivered). Adherence to the protocols by the provisional psychologist was monitored through the completion of a program fidelity checklist for a set of randomly selected sessions.
Sponsors
Dr Kristy Johnstone
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
8 Years to 13 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Children in South Australian primary schools, between year levels 3 to 6, were eligible to participate.
Exclusion criteria
Children in South Australian primary schools, between year levels 3 to 6, were eligible to participate.
Outcome results
None listed