Emotion Focused Family Therapy for Parents of Children With Mental Health Difficulties

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH · Oct 27, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a program called Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), which helps parents learn skills to better support their children who are dealing with anxiety, depression, or behavior problems. The aim is to improve both the child's emotional skills and the overall family functioning. In this study, some families will participate in a 6-week group EFFT program, while others will be placed on a waitlist to see how the therapy benefits them and their children over time.

To take part in this trial, parents need to have a child between the ages of 7 and 15 who is experiencing mental health challenges. It’s important that the parent is willing to join the program and lives with the child. Participants will learn new skills and strategies to help their child, and the study will also check how well these skills are working up to four months after the program ends. Keep in mind that this trial is not suitable for families where the parent or child has severe mental health issues that need immediate attention, or if there are language or communication barriers.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Parent of child aged 7 to 15 years old with anxiety, depression, or behavioural challenges
• • Parent of child is willing to participate in intervention
• • Parent is living at home with the child
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Parent or child not proficient enough in speaking/understanding English to complete measures or EFFT intervention components
• • Parent or child with a severe mental health disorder (e.g., active suicidality and psychosis) is not considered suitable for the trial intervention due to the clinical need for immediate intervention
• • Parent or child is actively receiving, or due to receive, intensive psychological intervention focused on cognitive and/or behavioural strategies to intervene with emotional or behavioural difficulties
• • Parent or child has any disabilities in language, speech or hearing that would interfere with their completion of the EFFT and measures
• • Parent or child are allergic to adhesive electrode gel use in some tasks (i.e., sodium chloride)