Mental Disorder in AdolescenceNCT06633458
Adolescent Psychiatry Inpatients: Self-reported Parent-adolescent Communication Quality and Treatment Outcome
An observational study of Mental Disorder in Adolescence and Depression in Adolescence, run by Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf at 1 site in Germany.
Trial summary
The quality of parent-adolescent communication has been found to be associated with adolescent mental health. However, little is known about the association of parent-adolescent communication and adolescent mental health in the context of psychiatry inpatient treatment. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 14 to 17 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Mental Disorder in Adolescence, Depression in Adolescence, Anxiety
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteGermany
- Study dates
- 8 Jul 2024to 30 Oct 2027
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 14 to 17 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child
Study population: Adolescents aged 14;1 to 17;12 years with a diagnosis of a mental disorder requiring inpatient treatment at a psychiatric site.
Who may be able to join
- Admission to inpatient care unit of the adolescent psychiatry at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf.
Who cannot join
- Severe symptom burden at admission
- Lack of knowledge of the German language.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Germany1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
Hamburg, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, 20246
About this study
Official title: Adolescent Psychiatry Inpatients: Self-reported Parent-adolescent Communication Quality as a Predictor of Treatment Outcome
The quality of parent-adolescent communication has been found to be associated with adolescent mental health. However, little is known about the association of parent-adolescent communication and adolescent mental health in the context of psychiatry inpatient treatment.
This study aims to find out whether self-reported parent-adolescent communication quality at the time of admission to psychiatry predicts the treatment outcome in terms of symptom reduction 6 months later in an adolescent inpatient sample. It also aims to track changes in adolescent self-reported communication quality in the course of inpatient treatment and afterwards (2, 4 and 6 months after admission) to see whether improvement predicts treatment outcome, with treatment outcome being defined as symptom reduction to baseline. As a secondary endpoint, it will be assessed whether a placement of the adolescent outside the family was considered during treatment and whether self-reported communication quality at the time of admission predicts the consideration of placement outside the family.
Read the detailed description
The main hypotheses of the study are:
1a Higher quality of self-reported parent-adolescent communication at baseline is positively associated with higher symptom reduction from baseline (psychiatry admission, t0) to 6 months after admission (t3).
- b Higher improvement of parent-adolescent communication from t0 to t3 is positively associated with higher symptom reduction from t0 to t3.
- Higher quality of self-reported parent-adolescent communication at baseline is negatively associated with consideration of the adolescent's placement outside the family during treatment.
The hypotheses 1a and 1b will be assessed with a linear regression model, hypothesis 2 will be assessed with a logistic regression model.
Covariates that will be taken into consideration are symptom severity at baseline, socioeconomic status of the family, adolescent gender, age, and comorbidity. Sensitivity analyses will be calculated for inpatient treatment duration and outpatient treatment duration after discharge from the hospital.
Symptom severity as the primary outcome is assessed with three measures: YSR (Youth Self-Report), DISYPS-ANG (Diagnostik-System für Psychische Störungen - Angststörungen) and DISYPS-DES Diagnostik-System für Psychische Störungen - Depressive Störungen). The relevant scale will be chosen according to the primary clinical diagnosis: If the primary diagnosis is anxiety (F40-F41), DISYPS-ANG will be used for the primary outcome. If the primary diagnosis is depression (F32-F33), DISYPS-DES will be used. If any other condition is the primary diagnosis, the YSR total scale will be used. Raw values of the DISYPS and the YSR will be transformed into z-values.
- Keywords
- mental health, adolescence, communication
- Medical subject headings
- Anxiety Disorders, Psychological Well-Being, Communication
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Study group (observation only) | Adolescent inpatients at the child and adolescent psychiatry, age 14-17 years. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in self-rated relevant symptoms according to the discharge diagnosis (general mental health)
General mental health symptoms will be assessed with the YSR (Youth Self-Report). If a condition other than F32-33 or F40-41 is the primary diagnosis, the YSR total scale will be used. The YSR consists of 112 items, rated on a three-step scale. Higher values indicate higher symptom burden.
Measured: From baseline to 6 months after admission (T3)
Change in self-rated relevant symptoms according to the discharge diagnosis (depression symptoms)
Depression symptoms will be assessed with the DISYPS-DES (Diagnostik-System für Psychische Störungen - Depressive Störungen). If the primary diagnosis is depression (F32-F33), DISYPS-DES will be used. The DISYPS-DES consists of consist of 29 items, rated on a four-step scale. Higher values indicate higher symptom burden.
Measured: From baseline to 6 months after admission (T3)
Change in self-rated relevant symptoms according to the discharge diagnosis (anxiety symptoms)
Anxiety symptoms will be assessed with the DISYPS-ANG (Diagnostik-System für Psychische Störungen - Angststörungen). If the primary diagnosis is anxiety (F40-F41), DISYPS-ANG will be used for the primary outcome. The DISYPS-ANG consists of 44 items, rated on a four-step scale. Higher values indicate higher symptom burden.
Measured: From baseline to 6 months after admission (T3)
Discussion of external placement (rated by clinician)
The responsible clinician rates whether an external placement (outside the family) of the adolescent was discussed in the context of psychiatric treatment (yes/no). It has to be considered as discussed (\"yes\") if either the adolescent, one parent or more or the treatment team articulate a wish/recommendation regarding external placement during the period of treatment toward any other party.
Measured: From baseline to 6 months after admission (T3)
Secondary outcomes (1)
Change in self-rated parent-adolescent communication quality
PACS (Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale) questionnaire. The PACS consists of 20 items rated on a five-step scale and ranges from 20-100 with better values indicating higher communication quality.
Measured: From baseline to 6 months after admission (T3)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Oct 2024
- Study start8 Jul 2024
- Primary completion7 Mar 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Oct 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Mental Disorder in AdolescenceStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-EppendorfThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Holger Zapf, Dr, Principal investigator, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06633458
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- JuStCom
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 30 Jul 2024
- Last updated
- 1 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 1 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Adolescent Psychiatry Inpatients: Self-reported Parent-adolescent Communication Quality as a Predictor of Treatment Outcome
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06633458
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- JuStCom
- Keywords
- mental health, adolescence, communication
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-EppendorfUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 8 Jul 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 7 Mar 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Oct 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 9 Oct 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The quality of parent-adolescent communication has been found to be associated with adolescent mental health. However, little is known about the association of parent-adolescent communication and adolescent mental health in the context of psychiatry inpatient treatment.
This study aims to find out whether self-reported parent-adolescent communication quality at the time of admission to psychiatry predicts the treatment outcome in terms of symptom reduction 6 months later in an adolescent inpatient sample. It also aims to track changes in adolescent self-reported communication quality in the course of inpatient treatment and afterwards (2, 4 and 6 months after admission) to see whether improvement predicts treatment outcome, with treatment outcome being defined as symptom reduction to baseline. As a secondary endpoint, it will be assessed whether a placement of the adolescent outside the family was considered during treatment and whether self-reported communication quality at the time of admission predicts the consideration of placement outside the family.
Detailed description
The main hypotheses of the study are:
1a Higher quality of self-reported parent-adolescent communication at baseline is positively associated with higher symptom reduction from baseline (psychiatry admission, t0) to 6 months after admission (t3).
- b Higher improvement of parent-adolescent communication from t0 to t3 is positively associated with higher symptom reduction from t0 to t3.
- Higher quality of self-reported parent-adolescent communication at baseline is negatively associated with consideration of the adolescent's placement outside the family during treatment.
The hypotheses 1a and 1b will be assessed with a linear regression model, hypothesis 2 will be assessed with a logistic regression model.
Covariates that will be taken into consideration are symptom severity at baseline, socioeconomic status of the family, adolescent gender, age, and comorbidity. Sensitivity analyses will be calculated for inpatient treatment duration and outpatient treatment duration after discharge from the hospital.
Symptom severity as the primary outcome is assessed with three measures: YSR (Youth Self-Report), DISYPS-ANG (Diagnostik-System für Psychische Störungen - Angststörungen) and DISYPS-DES Diagnostik-System für Psychische Störungen - Depressive Störungen). The relevant scale will be chosen according to the primary clinical diagnosis: If the primary diagnosis is anxiety (F40-F41), DISYPS-ANG will be used for the primary outcome. If the primary diagnosis is depression (F32-F33), DISYPS-DES will be used. If any other condition is the primary diagnosis, the YSR total scale will be used. Raw values of the DISYPS and the YSR will be transformed into z-values.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Study group (observation only) | – | –Adolescent inpatients at the child and adolescent psychiatry, age 14-17 years. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 14 to 17 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child
- Study population
- Adolescents aged 14;1 to 17;12 years with a diagnosis of a mental disorder requiring inpatient treatment at a psychiatric site.
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Admission to inpatient care unit of the adolescent psychiatry at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf.
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Severe symptom burden at admission
- Lack of knowledge of the German language.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Change in self-rated relevant symptoms according to the discharge diagnosis (general mental health)
Time frame: From baseline to 6 months after admission (T3)
General mental health symptoms will be assessed with the YSR (Youth Self-Report). If a condition other than F32-33 or F40-41 is the primary diagnosis, the YSR total scale will be used. The YSR consists of 112 items, rated on a three-step scale. Higher values indicate higher symptom burden.
Change in self-rated relevant symptoms according to the discharge diagnosis (depression symptoms)
Time frame: From baseline to 6 months after admission (T3)
Depression symptoms will be assessed with the DISYPS-DES (Diagnostik-System für Psychische Störungen - Depressive Störungen). If the primary diagnosis is depression (F32-F33), DISYPS-DES will be used. The DISYPS-DES consists of consist of 29 items, rated on a four-step scale. Higher values indicate higher symptom burden.
Change in self-rated relevant symptoms according to the discharge diagnosis (anxiety symptoms)
Time frame: From baseline to 6 months after admission (T3)
Anxiety symptoms will be assessed with the DISYPS-ANG (Diagnostik-System für Psychische Störungen - Angststörungen). If the primary diagnosis is anxiety (F40-F41), DISYPS-ANG will be used for the primary outcome. The DISYPS-ANG consists of 44 items, rated on a four-step scale. Higher values indicate higher symptom burden.
Discussion of external placement (rated by clinician)
Time frame: From baseline to 6 months after admission (T3)
The responsible clinician rates whether an external placement (outside the family) of the adolescent was discussed in the context of psychiatric treatment (yes/no). It has to be considered as discussed (\"yes\") if either the adolescent, one parent or more or the treatment team articulate a wish/recommendation regarding external placement during the period of treatment toward any other party.
1 secondary outcome
Change in self-rated parent-adolescent communication quality
Time frame: From baseline to 6 months after admission (T3)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 1 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Holger Zapf, Dr principal investigator
Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Mental Disorder in Adolescence and Depression in Adolescence, run by Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf at 1 site in Germany.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Germany. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Holger Zapf, Dr (+49 176 8441 2529, h.zapf@uke.de), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in self-rated relevant symptoms according to the discharge diagnosis (general mental health) (time frame: From baseline to 6 months after admission (T3)). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 1 Jul 2026.