Middle School to High School Transition Project: Depression and Substance Abuse Prevention
- Conditions
- DepressionSubstance-Related Disorders
- Registration Number
- NCT00071513
- Lead Sponsor
- University of Washington
- Brief Summary
This study will implement a school-based program to prevent depression, academic failure, and substance use in at-risk adolescents transitioning from middle school to high school.
- Detailed Description
The transition from middle school to high school presents important challenges for adolescents. Programs that enhance personal efficacy and social support resources may prevent at-risk students from developing behaviors that can lead to substance use, academic failure, and depression. This study will implement a skills-based program called Coping and Support Training for the Transition (CAST-T) as a preventive intervention for at-risk students.
At-risk students in eighth grade will be randomly assigned to receive either CAST-T or school as usual. The CAST-T program will initially be delivered in twelve sessions over 6 weeks in the middle school setting. The program includes booster sessions, case management, structured home-based parent education, and support and skills training throughout the transition period. Participants will be assessed from the beginning of eighth grade to the end of ninth grade. Vulnerability to academic problems and depression will be assessed with school records and self-report scale scores.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 497
- At-risk for substance abuse, academic failure, and depression
- Enrolled in eighth grade in Seattle Public Schools
- English-speaking
- Score above the clinical cutoff on the Youth Self Report Aggressive subscale
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Change in Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ) Baseline to 18 months The Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire is a 13 item measure of level of self reported depressive symptoms. Each item in scored on a 3-point Likert scale as follows: "True" (0), "Sometimes" (1), and "Not True" (2) rated within the timeframe of the previous two weeks. A total score is obtained; scores can range from 0 to 26. Total scores of 12 or higher may signify that a child/adolescent is suffering from depression. Higher scores on this scale suggest a worse outcome or greater endorsement of depressive symptoms. Change is measured based on two time points baseline to the 18 months follow-up assessment.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method School Attachment 18 months School attachment measure consisted of 4 items. Item responses range from 0 (unsatisfied, rarely attended, not involved, etc.) to 6 (highly satisfied, regularly attended, very involved, etc). Scores could range from 0 to 36 with higher scores indicating more positive school attachment. Item were:
My overall satisfaction with classes was... Overall, how safe did school feel last semester... Overall, how friendly did school feel... How involved were you in school activities...
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
University of Washington
🇺🇸Seattle, Washington, United States
University of Washington🇺🇸Seattle, Washington, United States