Helping adolescents with ADHD regulate their emotions through telehealth

Improving Emotion Dysregulation and Interpersonal Conflict Among Families of Adolescents With ADHD

Not applicable Interventional Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University · NCT06725186

This study is testing a telehealth program called RELAX to see if it can help teenagers with ADHD learn to manage their emotions better.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment60 (estimated)
Ages11 Years to 16 Years
SexAll
SponsorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Academic / other
Locations1 site (Blacksburg, Virginia)
Trial IDNCT06725186 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This clinical trial evaluates the RELAX intervention, a telehealth program designed to help adolescents with ADHD improve their emotion regulation skills. In a randomized controlled format, 30 families will receive the RELAX intervention while another 30 will receive psychoeducational materials as a control. The study also includes a pilot component where 10 families from the RELAX group will provide feedback on smartphone apps developed to support the skills learned during the intervention. Participants will be adolescents aged 11-16 with ADHD who experience moderate to severe emotion dysregulation.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adolescents aged 11-16 diagnosed with ADHD who exhibit moderate to severe emotion dysregulation.

Not a fit: Patients outside the age range of 11-16 or those not diagnosed with ADHD will not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this intervention could significantly improve emotion regulation in adolescents with ADHD, leading to better family dynamics and personal outcomes.

How similar studies have performed: While similar telehealth interventions have shown promise, this specific approach is novel in its focus on emotion regulation for adolescents with ADHD.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* child with ADHD in middle or high school at time of study entry
* child has an estimated verbal IQ \>=80 based on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition Verbal Comprehension Index
* child has no evidence of severe developmental delay either from genetic origins (e.g., Down Syndrome) or complications during pregnancy/birth (e.g., infection, micropremature)
* participating parent/legal guardian has custody/medical decision making of the child
* family uses English as one of their primary languages (i.e., able to participate in study visits and intervention conducted in English)

Exclusion Criteria:

* child not diagnosed with ADHD as confirmed by prior documented diagnosis and/or current comprehensive ADHD assessment as part of intake visit
* having a child outside of the eligible age range of 11-16 at time of study enrollment
* participating parent not having legal custody of the child
* having parents or children who are not fluent in English
* having a child with a severe developmental delay either from genetic origins (e.g., Down Syndrome) or complications from pregnancy/birth (e.g., infection, micro-premature)
* child has an IQ \< 70.

Where this trial is running

Blacksburg, Virginia

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions RELAX Telehealth InterventionPsychoeducational Waitlist ControlEMI Smartphone App PilotADHDtelehealthemotion regulationfamily conflictparenting
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.