Effects of Parent-Adolescent Joint Interventions for Adolescents With Adverse Childhood Experiences

Effects of Parent-Adolescent Joint Interventions for Adolescents With Adverse Childhood Experiences: A Multi-Center Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

The study aims to examine the effectiveness of joint parent-adolescent intervention in improving the mental health outcomes of participants, specifically by reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD, as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7), and the Child PTSD Symptom Scale for DSM-5 (CPSS-5). Adolescents will be recruited from middle schools and randomly assigned to one of three groups: (a) psychoeducation, (b) psychoeducation + emotional skills enhancement, or (c) psychoeducation + emotional skills enhancement + positive childhood experience promotion. The school-based intervention will consist of 4-8 sessions, with assessments conducted at baseline, post-treatment, and a 3-month follow-up. Investigators will conduct multilevel models (MLMs) and structural equation models (SEMs) to investigate the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs), alexithymia, and emotion regulation abilities on mental health outcomes in adolescents.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Middle school students studying in school and their parents
• Capable of hearing, speaking, reading, and writing

Exclusion Criteria:

• High suicidal risks
• Severe mental disorders