Manual of Emotional Regulation and Interpersonal Abilities in Children and Adolescents Group Therapy

Domestic Violence, Psychotherapy, Group, Witness

Domestic Violence, Witness, Psychotherapy, Group, Clinical trial

Purpose: Domestic violence (DV) is a mental health problem that affects children and adolescents. Widespread evidence suggests that witnessing DV has physical and mental health consequences. 19% of children and adolescents cared for in Children, and Youth Mental Health Centers in Catalonia declare having witnessed DV between their parents. However, there are low specialized therapeutic tools to intervene effectively. In this line, the research team of the current project adapted and manualized a group treatment designed to treat children and adolescents between 8 and 16 years old witnesses of DV on an outpatient basis called: 'Manual of Emotional Regulation and Interpersonal Abilities group Therapy - MERITA'. The treatment main aim is to improve the emotional regulation and interpersonal skills of children and adolescents who have witnessed DV. We carried out a pilot study of MERITA (Lacasa et al., 2016) where we obtained promising results. Now, we want to carry out this study to improve methodological limitations by increasing the sample size. We have added a waiting list for assigning patients in different arms (MERITA intervention vs. treatment as usual as control group), as well as we improved the assessment (pre, post, and follow-ups) using several scales with good psychometric properties. Aims: The aim of this trial is twofold: firstly, to assess the effectiveness of Emotional Regulation and Interpersonal Abilities group Therapy (MERITA) in children and adolescents who are witnesses of DV and treated at the Infant and dolescent mental health center (TAU); and secondly, to analyze the differences (MERITA vs only TAU) on traumatic, depressive and anxious symptomatology, emotional dysregulation, interpersonal difficulties, externalizing and internalizing symptoms, somatic complaints, prosocial behavior, attachment, and family functioning. Specifically, MERITA will be compared to TAU alone (post and 3-month follow-up). Methods Design: Trail with two arms: 1. MERITA + TAU (intervention group) 2. TAU (control group) Sample: The necessary sample size to detect statistically significant differences between the groups has been calculated using the G\*Power: with a minimum effect size (0.50), a significance level of 5% and a power of 80%. A minimum of 36 participants would be required.

This clinical trial will be carried out with a group of children and adolescents who are witnesses of DV (between 8 and 16 years old). They will receive the MERITA treatment (together with TAU) and the other group will receive only TAU (control group). The MERITA treatment consists of weekly 12 sessions of 75 minutes each. MERITA aims to improve emotional regulation and coping abilities, as well as promoting interpersonal skills and secure attachment. After getting promising results from our previous pilot study of MERITA, the current project aims to validate, through a clinical trial with a control group, the MERIT treatment in minors who witness violence. To do this, children and adolescents who have undergone the MERIT will be compared with another group who receives other psychological and social approaches (treatment as usual), with other children and adolescents (same age and sex) who have only received treatment as usual. The MERITA + TAU group and the TAU group will perform the following assessment: before treatment (baseline or pretreatment), after treatment (posttreatment), and at three months of follow-up. Specifically, the MERITA + TAU group will conduct two more assessments: at 6-month follow-up and one year of follow-up. For ethical reasons, all patients will have the opportunity to use the MERITA treatment. Thus, the minors who were TAU group will go on to receive the MERITA treatment. It should be noted that these patients must have completed the 3-month visit before starting the MERITA treatment. This procedure ensures no bias when assessing the effectiveness of MERITA treatment.

Spain