Hold Me Tight / Let Me Go course to strengthen parent–adolescent relationships

Hold me Tight/Let me Go: Effectiveness of a Course to Enhance Parent-adolescent Relationship

This project will test whether a short group course called Hold Me Tight/Let Me Go helps parents and their 12–18-year-old adolescents improve their relationship and reduce related problems.

Quick facts

• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 150 (estimated)
• Ages: 12 Years to 18 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: University of Amsterdam (Academic / other)
• Locations: 5 sites (Almere Stad and 4 other locations)
• Trial ID: NCT06966323 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

HmT/LmG is a structured group program for 4–6 families that combines four group sessions of psychoeducation and skills training with three family-specific individual sessions (one with the adolescent, one with the parents, and one joint session. The study uses an observational, non-randomized design with eligibility determined by unstructured clinical interviews and outcomes measured via self-report questionnaires, audio-recorded observations, and interviews. Families with adolescents aged 12–18 whose problems are linked to a stressful parent–adolescent relationship and who can participate in Dutch are eligible, while severe psychopathology or concurrent systemic therapy during the program are exclusions. The program is delivered at participating clinics in the Netherlands and therapists will register any concurrent treatments during follow-up.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are families with one or both parents and an adolescent aged 12–18 who speak Dutch and where the adolescent's difficulties are thought to be driven or worsened by a stressful parent–adolescent relationship.

Not a fit: Families where a parent or adolescent has severe psychopathology (e.g., psychosis, acute suicidality, severe depression), those already engaged in systemic therapy during the program, non-Dutch speakers, or those unable to attend group sessions in person are unlikely to benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the program could improve communication and emotional connection between parents and adolescents, reducing relationship-driven behavioral or emotional problems and lowering the need for more intensive treatments.

How similar studies have performed: Emotionally Focused Therapy and related parent-focused programs have shown promise for improving family and couple relationships, but this specific Hold Me Tight/Let Me Go adaptation for parents of adolescents is relatively novel and less rigorously tested.

Eligibility criteria

We will include:

1. Families with one or both parents/primary caretaker (single parent or blended families are allowed) with one adolescent of 12 to 18 years of age;
2. Adolescent problems are deemed to be exacerbated by a stressful parent-adolescent relationship.

We will exclude:

1. Participants in command of the Dutch language.
2. Parents/primary caretakers and adolescents with severe psychopathology (e.g., psychosis, acute suicidality, severe depression) that will interfere with participation in the program.
3. Parents/primary caretakers already attending systemic therapy or intensive parental guidance during the waiting period and during HmT/LmG. Other individual therapy will be registered during intake, and afterwards by the therapists. During follow-up systemic interventions are allowed but have to be registered.

Where this trial is running

Almere Stad and 4 other locations

• Connected Together — Almere Stad, Netherlands (Active_not_recruiting)
• Molemann Mental Health — Almere Stad, Netherlands (Active_not_recruiting)
• Twig Clinics B.V. — Bilthoven, Netherlands (Recruiting)
• Molemann Mental Health — Hilversum, Netherlands (Recruiting)
• Twig Clinics B.V. — Woerden, Netherlands (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Henk Jan Conradi, Doctor of Philosophy — University of Amsterdam
• Study coordinator: Sophie Jonker, Master of Science

Conditions Parent Training; Parent Child Relationship; Parent-child Problem; Hold Me Tight Program; Emotionally Focused Therapy; Parent Child Problems; Parent Child Relationships; Adolescents