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Active, Not Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT06638853

Piloting a School-Based Distress Tolerance Skills Program for Adolescents

Research suggests that an individual's perceived ability to withstand distressing or upsetting emotions (i.e., distress tolerance; DT) is a common risk factor across several mental health conditions that commonly emerge during adolescence. This study aims to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and initial efficacy of a classroom-based DT skills training program for middle school students. This study will also explore associations between changes in DT and internalizing symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression).

Active, Not Recruiting

This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

Key information

Conditions

Distress, Emotional Internalizing Mental Health Symptoms

Age range

11 year–14 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Valley Catholic Middle School

Beaverton, Oregon, 97078, United States

About this study

A variety of deleterious mental health conditions have their peak age of onset in adolescence, including depression and anxiety. Distress tolerance (DT) - defined as the perceived or actual ability to withstand aversive emotional states - has been postulated as a transdiagnostic risk factor across several "emotional" disorders that typically emerge during adolescence. Importantly, while there is compelling evidence that DT is associated with emotion dysregulation and symptom severity, it is unclear whether modifying DT can reduce future risk for psychopathology in adolescent populations. This proposal aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of a classroom-based DT intervention for middle school students. Additionally, this proposal will examine associations between changes in DT and internalizing symptoms.

Primary Objective:

To evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of a classroom-based DT skills training program for middle school students.

Secondary Objectives:

To examine whether participation in the DT skills training program is associated with lower severity of internalizing symptoms over the course of the academic year.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Middle school aged-youth attending Valley Catholic Middle School in grade 6, 7, or 8

Exclusion criteria

  • None

Treatment and study plan

Distress Tolerance Skills Training

Behavioral

These lessons are adapted from "DBT Skills in Schools: Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents (DBT STEPS-A)" by Mazza et al. and include elements of mindfulness training, psychoeducation about emotions, and techniques/skills for managing extreme emotions.

Primary outcomes

  1. Feasibility

    Time frame: Pre-intervention and immediately post-intervention

    Consent rates during enrollment and attrition rates during the study will be used to assess the feasibility of the intervention.

  2. Acceptability

    Time frame: Immediately post-intervention

    The investigators will use a brief feedback survey at the end of the study to gather information about participants' experiences of the intervention. Responses on this survey will be used to determine the acceptability of the intervention.

  3. Distress Tolerance

    Time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, 3-month follow-up, and 6-month follow-up

    The investigators will assess change in distress tolerance from pre-intervention to post-intervention. Distress tolerance will be indexed by total scores on the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), which is a 15-item self-report measure that assesses the respondent's perceived ability to withstand distressing or upsetting emotional states. Possible total scores can range from 15 to 75. Higher scores indicate higher distress tolerance. This outcome measure will be examined and compared for both the intervention group and the control group.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Internalizing Symptoms

    Time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, 3-month follow-up, and 6-month follow-up

    The investigators will assess change in internalizing symptoms from pre-intervention to post-intervention and periodically during follow-up. Internalizing symptoms will be measured using the ASEBA Youth Self-Report (YSR). Possible raw scores on the Internalizing Symptoms Subscale can range from 0 to 62. Raw scores are transformed to standardized T-scores normed by age and gender and can range from 26 to 100. Higher scores indicate greater symptoms. This outcome measure will be examined and compared for both the intervention group and the control group.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Oregon Health and Science University

Other

Collaborators

  • Valley Catholic Middle School

Registry information

Official study title

The STRIDE Study (Strengthening Tolerance and Resilience in Dealing with Emotions): Pilot Testing of a School-Based Distress Tolerance Skills Program for Reducing Risk of Psychopathology in Adolescence

Acronym: STRIDE

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Oct 15, 2024
Registry last updated
Mar 24, 2025

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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