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Improving Mental Health in School-age Children Through the Kids' Empowerment Program (KEP)

NCT06354907 · Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 120

Last updated 2026-02-12

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Depression and anxiety are major challenges to American children's optimal mental health, with already high rates exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet help is beyond reach for many children who do not have access to care for reasons including a severely depleted cadre of professionally trained service providers, fear of stigma that goes along with a diagnosis, low access to clinics, and lack of insurance. Without help their problems will likely accelerate and become more deleterious to their development as adolescents and young adults. The current study aims to address the lack of care by providing a program in school classrooms that will reduce children's symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as enhance their emotion regulation and coping skills. The mental health and adjustment of two groups of children are compared and evaluated at twelve week intervals in this clinical trial - those who first participate in the Kids' Empowerment Program (KEP) and a comparison group that participates in the program after the second evaluation. Once proven to be successful, the ultimate goal of the project is to disseminate the program throughout the State of Michigan and beyond, thereby providing children with tools that will empower them to be successful in managing emotional challenges throughout their life.

Conditions

  • Child Mental Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

The Kids' Empowerment Program

The 12-session KEP provides support and information while teaching children self-management skills based on techniques derived from a combination of best, evidence-based practices (e.g., using elements of cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral activation, brief behavioral activation, and interpersonal therapy. Adjustment is enhanced with a comprehensive approach that strengthens cognition (how to think about things), changes behavior (problem solving or planning actions), and focuses on emotions (identifying and expressing feelings), social relationships (peers, parents, siblings), and physical health (de-stressing, exercise). Group leaders follow a training manual with developmentally appropriate scripts, instructions for behavioral applications in (e.g., craft or game activities) and practice plans.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Principal Investigators

  • Sandra Graham-Bernann, Ph.D. · University of Michigan

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
6 Years
Max Age
12 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2022-10-03
Primary Completion
2026-01-02
Completion
2026-10-02

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Entities

Companies

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06354907 on ClinicalTrials.gov