First Evaluation of COMET-Y

A Pilot Study: A First Evaluation of a Personalized Training Targeting Low Self-esteem: COMET-Y

The goal of this pilot study is to evaluate COMET-Y in 22 adolescents (11-18 years) with various mental health problems and low self-esteem. The main questions is: Does COMET-Y, parallel to care as usual (CAU), improve self-esteem?

Before and after the training participants fill in questionnaires to measure self-esteem, mental health problems, resilience, quality of life, emotions and individual goals. Some of the outcomes are measured through diary methods. Youth and therapists will be assessed to evaluate feasibility and acceptability of the COMET-Y training.

Low self-esteem plays an important role in various mental health problems, and targeted treatment of self-esteem could potentially enhance the efficacy of existing treatments. Research in adults shows that self-esteem training improves self-esteem and mental health problems, but in adolescents this is still unknown. COMET-Y is a personalized self-esteem training, specifically developed for adolescents.

In this pilot study, 22 adolescents (11-18 years) with various mental health problems and low self-esteem will be included. Participants receive COMET-Y parallel to care as usual (CAU). Before and after the training participants fill in questionnaires to measure self-esteem, mental health problems, resilience, quality of life, emotions and individual goals. Some of the outcomes are measured through diary methods. Feasibility and acceptability of the COMET-Y training will be evaluated with youth and therapists.

Inclusion Criteria:

• sufficient mastery of Dutch to complete the measurements
• age between 11 - 18 years
• having self-esteem below average (based on a score =<15 on the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale; RSES)
• currently receiving care for a mental disorder, for example (but not limited to) anxiety disorder, depression, eating disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, or autism spectrum disorder.
• willingness to participate in weekly sessions

Exclusion Criteria:

• As intensive treatment can restrain the feasibility of attending the 7 weekly sessions of COMET-Y and engage in homework assignments, participants who need acute care are excluded (e.g. crisis, acute suicidality, or psychotic episode).