Distress, EmotionalSTRIDENCT06638853
Piloting a School-Based Distress Tolerance Skills Program for Adolescents
A study testing Distress Tolerance Skills Training in people with Distress, Emotional and Internalizing Mental Health Symptoms, run by Oregon Health and Science University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Research suggests that an individual's perceived ability to withstand distressing or upsetting emotions (i.e., distress tolerance; DT) is a common risk factor across several mental health conditions that commonly emerge during adolescence. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 11 to 14 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Distress, Emotional, Internalizing Mental Health Symptoms
- What is being tested?
- Distress Tolerance Skills Training
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 74 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 25 Oct 2024to 1 Jun 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
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 11 to 14 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Middle school aged-youth attending Valley Catholic Middle School in grade 6, 7, or 8
Who cannot join
- None
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Valley Catholic Middle School
Beaverton, Oregon, 97078
About this study
Official title: The STRIDE Study (Strengthening Tolerance and Resilience in Dealing With Emotions): Pilot Testing of a School-Based Distress Tolerance Skills Program for Reducing Risk of Psychopathology in Adolescence
Research suggests that an individual's perceived ability to withstand distressing or upsetting emotions (i.e., distress tolerance; DT) is a common risk factor across several mental health conditions that commonly emerge during adolescence. This study aims to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and initial efficacy of a classroom-based DT skills training program for middle school students. This study will also explore associations between changes in DT and internalizing symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression).
Read the detailed description
A variety of deleterious mental health conditions have their peak age of onset in adolescence, including depression and anxiety. Distress tolerance (DT) - defined as the perceived or actual ability to withstand aversive emotional states - has been postulated as a transdiagnostic risk factor across several "emotional" disorders that typically emerge during adolescence. Importantly, while there is compelling evidence that DT is associated with emotion dysregulation and symptom severity, it is unclear whether modifying DT can reduce future risk for psychopathology in adolescent populations. This proposal aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of a classroom-based DT intervention for middle school students. Additionally, this proposal will examine associations between changes in DT and internalizing symptoms.
Primary Objective:
To evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of a classroom-based DT skills training program for middle school students.
Secondary Objectives:
To examine whether participation in the DT skills training program is associated with lower severity of internalizing symptoms over the course of the academic year.
- Being tested
- Distress Tolerance Skills Training
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Distress Tolerance Skills TrainingBehavioural
These lessons are adapted from "DBT Skills in Schools: Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents (DBT STEPS-A)" by Mazza et al. and include elements of mindfulness training, psychoeducation about emotions, and techniques/skills for managing extreme emotions.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Distress Tolerance Skills Training | Experimental | Students will participate in a series of classroom-based lessons aimed at increasing distress tolerance. Receives: Behavioral: Distress Tolerance Skills Training |
| Standard Curriculum (Control) | No intervention | Students will not participate in the distress tolerance skills training. They will receive only their standard curriculum during class time. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Feasibility
Consent rates during enrollment and attrition rates during the study will be used to assess the feasibility of the intervention.
Measured: Pre-intervention and immediately post-intervention
Acceptability
The investigators will use a brief feedback survey at the end of the study to gather information about participants' experiences of the intervention. Responses on this survey will be used to determine the acceptability of the intervention.
Measured: Immediately post-intervention
Distress Tolerance
The investigators will assess change in distress tolerance from pre-intervention to post-intervention. Distress tolerance will be indexed by total scores on the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), which is a 15-item self-report measure that assesses the respondent's perceived ability to withstand distressing or upsetting emotional states. Possible total scores can range from 15 to 75. Higher scores indicate higher distress tolerance. This outcome measure will be examined and compared for both the intervention group and the control group.
Measured: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, 3-month follow-up, and 6-month follow-up
Secondary outcomes (1)
Internalizing Symptoms
The investigators will assess change in internalizing symptoms from pre-intervention to post-intervention and periodically during follow-up. Internalizing symptoms will be measured using the ASEBA Youth Self-Report (YSR). Possible raw scores on the Internalizing Symptoms Subscale can range from 0 to 62. Raw scores are transformed to standardized T-scores normed by age and gender and can range from 26 to 100. Higher scores indicate greater symptoms. This outcome measure will be examined and compared for both the intervention group and the control group.
Measured: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, 3-month follow-up, and 6-month follow-up
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Oct 2024
- Study start25 Oct 2024
- Primary completion1 Jun 2025
- Study completion1 Jun 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Distress, EmotionalStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 74 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Oregon Health and Science University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Valley Catholic Middle School
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Bonnie Nagel, Oregon Health and Science University
- Investigators
- Bonnie Nagel, PhD, Principal investigator, Oregon Health and Science University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06638853
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY00027611
- Acronym
- STRIDE
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 9 Oct 2024
- Last updated
- 19 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 19 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The STRIDE Study (Strengthening Tolerance and Resilience in Dealing With Emotions): Pilot Testing of a School-Based Distress Tolerance Skills Program for Reducing Risk of Psychopathology in Adolescence
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06638853
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STRIDE / STUDY00027611
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 74 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Oregon Health and Science UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Valley Catholic Middle School
- Study start
- 25 Oct 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Jun 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 15 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.
Research suggests that an individual's perceived ability to withstand distressing or upsetting emotions (i.e., distress tolerance; DT) is a common risk factor across several mental health conditions that commonly emerge during adolescence. This study aims to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and initial efficacy of a classroom-based DT skills training program for middle school students. This study will also explore associations between changes in DT and internalizing symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression).
Detailed description
A variety of deleterious mental health conditions have their peak age of onset in adolescence, including depression and anxiety. Distress tolerance (DT) - defined as the perceived or actual ability to withstand aversive emotional states - has been postulated as a transdiagnostic risk factor across several "emotional" disorders that typically emerge during adolescence. Importantly, while there is compelling evidence that DT is associated with emotion dysregulation and symptom severity, it is unclear whether modifying DT can reduce future risk for psychopathology in adolescent populations. This proposal aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of a classroom-based DT intervention for middle school students. Additionally, this proposal will examine associations between changes in DT and internalizing symptoms.
Primary Objective:
To evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of a classroom-based DT skills training program for middle school students.
Secondary Objectives:
To examine whether participation in the DT skills training program is associated with lower severity of internalizing symptoms over the course of the academic year.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Distress Tolerance Skills Training | Experimental | Behavioral: Distress Tolerance Skills TrainingStudents will participate in a series of classroom-based lessons aimed at increasing distress tolerance. |
| Standard Curriculum (Control) | No intervention | –Students will not participate in the distress tolerance skills training. They will receive only their standard curriculum during class time. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 11 to 14 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Middle school aged-youth attending Valley Catholic Middle School in grade 6, 7, or 8
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- None
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Distress Tolerance Skills TrainingThese lessons are adapted from "DBT Skills in Schools: Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents (DBT STEPS-A)" by Mazza et al. and include elements of mindfulness training, psychoeducation about emotions, and techniques/skills for managing extreme emotions. | Behavioural | Distress Tolerance Skills Training |
Primary outcome
Feasibility
Time frame: Pre-intervention and immediately post-intervention
Consent rates during enrollment and attrition rates during the study will be used to assess the feasibility of the intervention.
Acceptability
Time frame: Immediately post-intervention
The investigators will use a brief feedback survey at the end of the study to gather information about participants' experiences of the intervention. Responses on this survey will be used to determine the acceptability of the intervention.
Distress Tolerance
Time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, 3-month follow-up, and 6-month follow-up
The investigators will assess change in distress tolerance from pre-intervention to post-intervention. Distress tolerance will be indexed by total scores on the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), which is a 15-item self-report measure that assesses the respondent's perceived ability to withstand distressing or upsetting emotional states. Possible total scores can range from 15 to 75. Higher scores indicate higher distress tolerance. This outcome measure will be examined and compared for both the intervention group and the control group.
1 secondary outcome
Internalizing Symptoms
Time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, 3-month follow-up, and 6-month follow-up
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 19 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Bonnie Nagel, PhD principal investigator
Oregon Health and Science University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Distress Tolerance Skills Training in people with Distress, Emotional and Internalizing Mental Health Symptoms, run by Oregon Health and Science University at 1 site in United States.
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 1 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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 19 Oct 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 United States. 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?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Feasibility (time frame: Pre-intervention and immediately post-intervention). The study lists 3 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 19 Oct 2026.