Feasibility of Emotion Regulation Group Therapy for Adolescent Self-Harm

NCT ID: NCT06297824

Last Updated: 2025-04-09

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 21 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-10-10
• Study Completion Date: 2025-03-10

Brief Summary

Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a prevalent behaviour among adolescents but there is no current recommendation for an efficacious treatment. Emotion regulation group therapy (ERGT) is a brief treatment for DSH with a well-documented utility and feasibility in the adult population, and an adapted version for adolescents may provide equal benefits for adolescents, provided adjustments to prevent or decrease social contagion are present.

A quantitative feasibility open trial (N=20) followed up by a qualitative interview study will examine the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effect of ERGT for adolescents.

Detailed Description

Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a prevalent behaviour among adolescents but there is no current recommendation for an efficacious treatment. Emotion regulation group therapy (ERGT) is a brief treatment for DSH with a well-documented utility and feasibility in the adult population, and an adapted version for adolescents may provide equal benefits for adolescents, provided adjustments to prevent or decrease social contagion are present. Adaptations to ERGT will result in a 12 session long treatment for adolescents Emotion regulation group therapy for Adolescents (ERGT-A). A parallel parent group focused on strengthening parental skills will be given alongside ERGT-A (5 sessions)

Method: A quantitative feasibility open trial (N=20) with pre, post and 1 month follow-up assessments will examine the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effect of ERGT for adolescents.

Feasibility measures include recruitment rate, proportion beginning treatment, attrition, treatment credibility and satisfaction, negative effects, and alliance.

Preliminary effects measures include DSH, emotion regulation ability, anxiety and depression.

Method: A qualitative interview study. Using thematic analysis to explore participants' experience of ERGT-A and parent group

Conditions

Self-harm; Emotion Regulation; Adolescent - Emotional Problem

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

ERGT-A

12 session emotion regulation treatment in group format. Psychoeducation and homework assignments. Subjects taught are the function of deliberate self-harm (DSH), functionality of emotions, negative consequences of emotional avoidance, non-avoidant emotion regulation.

Group Type: OTHER

ERGT-A

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Emotion regulation group therapy for adolescents

Interventions

ERGT-A

Emotion regulation group therapy for adolescents

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. 13-17 years of age;

2. having engaged in deliberate self-harm (DSH)-behaviours ≥ 5 times the last year;

3. having engaged in ≥1 DSH episode during the past month;

4. having ongoing psychiatric treatment in the community;

5. having at least one caregiver or other significant adult, committed to participate in the parent program; and

6. stability of psychotropic medications

Exclusion Criteria

1. a diagnosis of psychotic, bipolar I disorder or severe social anxiety disorder (SAD);

2. ongoing substance dependence;

3. the presence of co-occurring psychiatric disorders that require immediate treatment;

4. having an autism spectrum disorder together with borderline intellectual disability or having an intellectual disability;

5. insufficient understanding of the Swedish language

• Minimum Eligible Age: 13 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 17 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Karolinska Institutet

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Hanna Sahlin

Principal Investigator, PhD

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Hanna Sahlin, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Karolinska Institutet

Locations

Prima Barn och Vuxenpsykiatri Handen och Järva

Stockholm, Spånga, Sweden

Countries

Sweden

Other Identifiers

2023-04909-01

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id