Karolinska Institutet
Stockholm, 113 64, Sweden
Location status: Recruiting
Location contact
Johan Bjureberg, PhD
CONTACT
Johan Bjureberg, PhD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Olivia Ojala, PhD
SUB_INVESTIGATOR
NCT Number: NCT07573085
The overall purpose of the study is to implement and evaluate IERITA (Internet-delivered Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents) within child and adolescent mental health services for adolescents engaging in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and optimize treatment outcomes for those adolescents at risk of non-remission (continued NSSI).
Interested in participating?
Request Info13 year–17 year
All sexes
Interventional
Not applicable
Stockholm, 113 64, Sweden
Location status: Recruiting
Johan Bjureberg, PhD
CONTACT
Johan Bjureberg, PhD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Olivia Ojala, PhD
SUB_INVESTIGATOR
Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a growing and urgent global health crisis among youth. It is associated with substantial individual and societal costs, including increased risk of suicide attempts. Scalable and evidence-based treatments are needed but lacking. Digital interventions can be one promising solution. A recent study shows that a novel brief digital treatment, IERITA, can be efficacious compared to treatment as usual only. However, not all respond sufficiently to standardized treatment, such as IERITA, and continued NSSI entails risks and suffering.
In this randomized controlled trial, participants will be randomly allocated (1:1) to standard IERITA or adaptable IERITA. All participants will first receive standard IERITA for four weeks. In treatment week four, or earlier if the adolescent is at risk of discontinuation, classification of non-remission/remission will be conducted. Adolescents allocated to adaptable IERITA and classified as likely non-remission, will change to adapted IERITA (e.g., personalized dose and delivery of treatment) for the remaining weeks (until week 12) while all other participants will continue with standard IERITA. Data will be collected pre-treatment, during treatment, post-treatment, one- three- and twelve-month post-treatment, and in public registers up to ten years post-treatment. The primary endpoint is one-month post-treatment.
The primary aim is to evaluate efficacy of an adaptable treatment strategy for adolescents at risk of non-remission. Secondary aims include implementation, cost-effectiveness, moderators and predictors, distal effects, algorithm performance, and psychometrical evaluations. The specific objectives are:
PRIMARY AIM
SECONDARY AIMS
Statistical plan is found at: https://osf.io/6h7fe/overview
This project is sponsored by the Swedish Research Council (number 2024-03122), Fonden för Psykisk Hälsa, Stiftelsen Söderströmska Königska (number SLS-1031985), and Thuring Foundation (2025-186).
Healthy volunteers accepted: No
Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.
Inclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria
IERITA is a 12-week acceptance-based behavioral therapy. The goal is to reduce self-injury through learning and using other ways to regulate emotions. IERITA includes modules where the participants can read text, watch videos, listen to audio, and message their allocated therapists. The adolescent treatment is 11 modules, and the parent course is six. Both adolescents and parents receive separate asynchronous online therapist support.
In the adapted IERITA intervention, the therapists develop an individual case conceptualization that forms the basis for a brief interview with the adolescent after the classification phase (from randomization to treatment week four), during which potential obstacles and necessary adaptations are explored. Adaption can entail scheduled or regular chats or videoconferences, selecting specific material to focus on, and involving additional support persons. The adapted IERITA intervention is offered after the classification phase until treatment week 12.
IERITA is a 12-week acceptance-based behavioral therapy. The goal is to reduce self-injury through learning and using other ways to regulate emotions. IERITA includes modules where the participants can read text, watch videos, listen to audio, and message their allocated therapists. The adolescent treatment is 11 modules, and the parent course is six. Both adolescents and parents receive separate asynchronous online therapist support.
Participants are free to any receive regular care (i.e., psychosocial treatment, medications, or a combination of both) as needed during the trial.
Time frame: One-, three- and twelve-months post-treatment
The DSHI-Y measures the frequency of the most common NSSI behaviors. The primary outcome will be the proportion of treatment remission. Remission will be defined as the absence of self-injury the past 30 days. The primary outcome measure will be the clinician-rated DSHI-Y. In cases where clinician ratings are unavailable, the self-rated DSHI-Y will be used.
Time frame: Baseline, one-, three- and twelve-months post-treatment
The DSHI-Y measures the frequency of the most common NSSI behaviors. Change in NSSI frequency from baseline to respective follow-up will be a secondary outcome. The primary outcome measure will be the clinician-rated DSHI-Y. In cases where clinician ratings are unavailable, the self-rated DSHI-Y will be used.
Time frame: Baseline, one-, three- and twelve-months post-treatment
The CGAS measures global functioning on a single item ranging from 1 to 100, with a higher value indicating better functioning. Clinician-rated.
Time frame: Baseline, one-, three- and twelve-months post-treatment
The DERS-16 measures difficulties in emotion regulation. The total score ranges from 16 to 80, with higher scores indicating greater difficulties. Self-rated (adolescent and parent).
Time frame: Baseline, one-, three- and twelve-months post-treatment
The CHU-9D measures health related quality of life. The scale has 9 items with a summary score between 9 and 45, where a higher score indicates greater health-related quality of life. Self-rated (adolescent).
Time frame: Baseline, one-, three- and twelve-months post-treatment
The BSL supplement measures the frequency of self-destructive behaviors. We will measure behaviors of self-harm, suicide attempt, binge eating, self-induced vomiting, high-risk activities, getting drunk, substance use, medication misuse, outbreaks of anger/physical attacks and impulsive/shameful sexual encounters, resulting in a total score between 0 to 40 where a higher score indicates greater frequency of self-destructive behaviors. Self-rated (adolescent).
Time frame: Baseline, one-, three- and twelve-months post-treatment
The RCADS-25 measures symptoms of depression and anxiety in children and adolescents. This version has 25 items with a total score between 0 and 75, with higher scores indicating greater levels of symptoms. Self-rated (adolescent).
Time frame: Baseline, one-, three- and twelve-months post-treatment
The CCNES-A measures parental coping in response to adolescents' negative emotions. The CCNES-A consists of nine hypothetical scenarios accompanied by six types of responses (i.e., emotion focused, problem-focused, minimization, punitive, expressive encouragement, and distress responses). Separate summary scores are calculated per subscale (type of response) and ranges from 1 to 7, with higher scores indicating greater usage of a certain parental coping style. Self-rated (parent and adolescent).
Time frame: Baseline, one-, three- and twelve-months post-treatment
The TIC-P measures healthcare and societal resource use, including for example items on healthcare resource use, medications, school absenteeism, and parental productivity loss. Self-rated (parent).
Time frame: Treatment week 3 and post-treatment (week 12)
The IIPAS measures patient adherence to guided internet-delivered behavioral interventions. This scale has 5 items, and a total score ranging from 0 to 20, where 0 indicates no adherence and 20 perfect adherence. Clinician-rated.
Time frame: Treatment week 3
Two items asking the participant to rate their own adherence the past week. Self-rated (adolescent).
Time frame: Treatment week 3
Two items asking the participant to rate change in treatment credibility from the previous treatment week. Self-rated (adolescent).
Time frame: Treatment week 2
CEQ measures treatment credibility and expectancy. This version of the scale has 1 item ranging from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater credibility/expectancy. Self-rated (adolescent).
Time frame: Post-treatment (week 12)
The CSQ measures satisfaction with treatment. This scale has 8 items and a summary score ranging from 8 to 32, with higher scores indicating greater treatment satisfaction. Self-rated (adolescent and parent).
Time frame: Post-treatment (week 12)
A scale were participants are asked to report, describe, and rate the discomfort/impact of any negative effects or adverse events caused by their participation in the treatment. Participants rate the impact of potential adverse events when it happened and today on a scale from 1 to 4, where a higher score indicates greater impact. Self-rated (adolescent and parent).
Time frame: Baseline
The C-SSRS - 6 item version measures the frequency and severity of suicidal ideation and behaviors. Clinician-rated.
Time frame: Post-treatment (week 12), one- and three-months post-treatment
Participants report presence, type, focus, and change an of any potential other concomitant treatment during the trial. Self-rated (adolescent and parent).
Time frame: Post-treatment (week 12)
Clinicians report time spent on treatment.
Time frame: Post-treatment (week 12)
Clinicians report number of completed sessions and modules for adolescents and parents.
Time frame: Week 1 to 12, and post-treatment (week 12)
The DSHI-Y measures the frequency of the most common NSSI behaviors. Self-rated (adolescent).
Time frame: Week 1 to 12
The DERS-16 measures difficulties in emotion regulation. The total score ranges from 16 to 80, with higher scores indicating greater difficulties. Self-rated (adolescent).
Time frame: Week 1 to 12
Two items about suicidal behavior from the C-SSRS are used to measure suicidality during treatment. The items concern preparatory behavior and suicide attempts the past seven days. Self-rated (adolescent).
Time frame: Baseline
ISAS measures frequency, function, age of onset, experience of, and willingness to stop engaging in self-injury. There are 39 items describing common functions of self-injury. Participants are asked to rate if a certain function applies to them, by marking the statement as "Not relevant", "Partly relevant", or "Very relevant". Self-rated (adolescent).
Time frame: Through study completion for primary outcome measure and endpoint, an average of 3 years
S-NoMAD measures implementation of interventions from a normalization process theory perspective. The first section in S-NoMAD includes questions about the respondent, the second (2 items) and third (20 items) include questions about the intervention. The items in the second section are answered on a 10-point Likert scale ranging from "Not at all" to "Completely". The items in the third section are answered using a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from "Disagree Strongly" to "Agree Strongly". Participating clinicians answer the S-NoMAD once, after they have treated at least three families with the intervention (i.e., to have some experience of the intervention).
Time frame: Baseline, one- or three-months post-treatment
Adolescents will be asked two questions about the format used to report NSSI: (1) "What was your experience of reporting NSSI in the different formats?", and in case where discrepancies occur between the two reporting formars between: (2) "Which frequency rating do you prefer?". Both questions will be administered by an assessor during a single assessment session.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
Therapist behaviors are rated separately as 0 (absence of behavior), 1 (inadequate performance), or 2 (competent). Rated by experienced clinical supervisors.
Time frame: Post-treatment (week 12)
Clinicians report presence or absence of possible treatment adaptions (e.g., changes in therapist contact or what material to focus on).
Time frame: Twelve-months post-treatment
Participants are asked to rate, using a single item, the perceived benefit of the intervention-specifically, how much of the knowledge gained continues to help them today. Self-rated (adolescent and parent).
Time frame: Baseline
Current mental health disorders, age, previous and current treatment. Clinician-rated. Gender and sexual orientation. Self-rated (adolescent). Country of birth, living situation, parental occupation, parental academic degree, and parental history of mental health disorders. Self-report (parent)
Time frame: Baseline
Four questions asking participants to rate how frequently they engage in the following activities: eating candy, drinking soda, playing video or computer games, and watching movies. Clinician-rated and self-rated (adolescent)
Time frame: 1 to 10 years post-treatment
Registry data from the National Patient Register.
Time frame: 1 to 10 years post-treatment
Grades and eligibility in primary school and upper secondary school, and highest education level. Registry data from the Swedish National Agency for Education and the Swedish longitudinal integrated database for health insurance and labour market studies (LISA).
Time frame: 1 to 10 years post-treatment
Registered psychiatric disorders. Registry data from the National Patient Register.
Time frame: 1 to 10 years post-treatment
Occupation, including unemployment and sick leave. Registry data from the Swedish longitudinal integrated database for health insurance and labour market studies (LISA).
Time frame: 1 to 10 years post-treatment
Registry data from the National Cause of Death Register.
Time frame: 1 to 10 years post-treatment
Registry data from the National Prescribed Drug Register.
Time frame: 1 to 10 years post-treatment
Suicide attempts registered by the health care. Registry data from the National Patient Register and Regional Healthcare Registers.
Time frame: 1 to 10 years post-treatment
The RCADS measures symptoms of depression and anxiety in children and adolescents. RCADS has 47 items with a total score between 0 and 141, with higher scores indicating greater levels of symptoms. Registry data from the National Quality Register for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Q-BUP).
Time frame: 1 to 10 years post-treatment
The Kidscreen-10 measures quality of life through 10 items. The summary score ranges from 10 to 50 where a higher score indicates greater quality of life. Registry data from the National Quality Register for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Q-BUP).
Time frame: 1 to 10 years post-treatment
The CGAS measures global functioning on a single item ranging from 1 to 100, with a higher value indicating better functioning. Registry data from the National Quality Register for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Q-BUP).
Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.
Johan Bjureberg, PhD
CONTACT
Olivia Ojala, PhD
CONTACT
Karolinska Institutet
Other
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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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