Building kindergarteners' social-emotional skills for better long-term mental health
Increasing Kindergarten Social-Emotional Skills for Positive Long-Term Mental Health: A Pilot Test of the Strengthening Social-Emotional Skills for Relating and Thriving at School (SSTRS) Program
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · OREGON SOCIAL LEARNING CENTER, INC. · NIH-11238102
This pilot will teach kindergarten children and their parents skills to boost emotional and social coping and reduce later mental health risks.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | OREGON SOCIAL LEARNING CENTER, INC. (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (EUGENE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11238102 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Your child would receive classroom activities that teach social-emotional skills while parents take part in a matched curriculum to support positive discipline and school involvement. The program is an adaptation of the evidence-based Kids In Transition to School Program and is tailored for kindergarten learning needs. Participating schools will be assigned using a simplified dynamic waitlist-controlled, cluster-randomized design, and data will be collected at baseline, about 2 months after start, and at an 8-month follow-up. The pilot will track changes in children’s social-emotional skills, parent practices, and early mental health indicators.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are children entering kindergarten and their caregivers, especially families from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Not a fit: Older children, adolescents, or adults and families who do not participate in the parent component are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this kindergarten-focused program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help children develop skills that lower the likelihood of later mental health problems such as depression, substance misuse, and suicidal behavior.
How similar studies have performed: The original Kids In Transition to School Program has shown improvements in social-emotional skills and downstream mental health outcomes, while this specific SSTRS adaptation is being piloted.
Where this research is happening
EUGENE, UNITED STATES
- OREGON SOCIAL LEARNING CENTER, INC. — EUGENE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: PEARS, KATHERINE C — OREGON SOCIAL LEARNING CENTER, INC.
- Study coordinator: PEARS, KATHERINE C
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.