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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07761143

Impact of Device Free Summer Camp on Adolescent Mental Health and Wellbeing

The goal of this clinical trial is to understand if attendance of a device-free summer camp, representing a shift from a digital environment to one that is device free and involves in person social interaction, can change mental health status and brain physiology in teens age 12-17. The main question it aims to answer is:

* How much is aggregate mental health and its various dimensions and components changed at the end of the camp attendance relative to the start of camp. * How much is brain physiology, as measured by EEG change, changed at the end of camp relative to the start of camp.

Participants are recruited from among teens signed up to attend 2 or 3.5 week sessions a summer camp in Maine.

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Key information

Conditions

Mental Health Behavior Personal Satisfaction Psychological Well-Being

Age range

12 year–17 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Maine Teen Camp

Porter, Maine, 04068, United States

About this study

The goal of this clinical trial is to understand if attendance of a device-free summer camp, representing a shift from a digital environment to one that is device free and involves in person social interaction, can change mental health status and brain physiology in teens age 12-17. The main question it aims to answer is:

  • How much is aggregate mental health and its various dimensions and components changed at the end of the camp attendance relative to the start of camp.
  • How much is brain physiology, as measured by EEG change, changed at the end of camp relative to the start of camp.

Participants are recruited from among teens signed up to attend 2 or 3.5 week sessions a summer camp in Maine. Participants were asked to complete the MHQ, a comprehensive mental health assessment spanning 47 emotional, social and cognitive aspects and on the first day of camp and then again on the day before departure. In addition participants were asked questions on their school and camp experiences at the start and end of camp respectively.

Participants were also invited to participate in a socio-emotional task and/or have EEG measurements read on the first day of camp and the day before departure form camp. The socio-emotional task involved speaking or performing in front of a group of 4 or 5 people and rating one's own feelings performing this task as well as rating the perceived feelings of other group members when they were performing the task.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Attendance of Maine Teen Camp sessions during summer months of 2024 and 2025.

Exclusion criteria

  • None

Treatment and study plan

Attendance of device-free summer camp

Other

Attendance of a residential device-free summer camp in Maine for 2-3.5 weeks.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change from Baseline in Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) at End of Camp

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1) to end of camp attendance (up to 3.5 weeks).

    The Mental Health Quotient or MHQ is an aggregate score of mental health computed from the 47 items of the MHQ assessment. The score ranges from -100 to +200, where higher scores indicate better mental health outcomes. Negative scores indicate significant symptoms that impact function (Distressed/Struggling range), while positive scores reflect the wide range of normal function (Enduring to Thriving). Change is calculated by subtracting the baseline score from the end of camp score.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change from Baseline in Ratings of 47 MHQ Items After Camp Attendance

    Time frame: Baseline (Day 1) to end of camp attendance (up to 3.5 weeks).

    Difference in the ratings of each of the 47 items in the MHQ assessment spanning emotional, social, cognitive and physical capacities and problems. Participants rate each item on a 9-point life impact scale.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Sapien Labs

Other

Collaborators

  • Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego
  • University of California, San Diego

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Aug 12, 2026
Registry last updated
Aug 12, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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