Improving social-emotional skills in kindergarteners for better 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

NIH-funded research Oregon Social Learning Center, INC. · NIH-11037323

This study is testing a program called SSTRS to help kids getting ready for kindergarten build important social and emotional skills, which can help them stay happy and healthy as they grow up, and it also involves parents to support their child's learning and behavior.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionOregon Social Learning Center, INC. NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Eugene, United States)
Project IDNIH-11037323 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research aims to enhance the social-emotional skills of children transitioning to kindergarten, which are crucial for preventing future mental health issues. The program, known as SSTRS, includes tailored activities for kindergarteners and an integrated curriculum for parents to promote positive discipline and involvement in their child's education. By using a cluster-randomized design, the study will assess the effectiveness of this program on children's social-emotional skills and their mental health outcomes over time. Data will be collected at various stages to evaluate the program's impact.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are children entering kindergarten, particularly those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Not a fit: Children who are not entering kindergarten or those who do not exhibit deficits in social-emotional skills may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved mental health outcomes for children by equipping them with essential social-emotional skills.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown success with similar programs aimed at enhancing social-emotional skills in young children, indicating a promising approach.

Where this research is happening

Eugene, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.