How psychotherapy helps children and teens after the October 7th events
Official title: Mechanisms and Outcomes of Children and Adolescent Psychotherapy
Run by Shalvata Mental Health Center · NCT07455344 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will use health records and follow ongoing therapy to see if therapy patterns, parental mental health, and exposure to the October 7th events relate to outcomes and dropout for children and adolescents in Israel.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 6 Years to 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 30000 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Shalvata Mental Health Center Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Hod HaSharon) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 5, 2025 |
| Main results expected | January 30, 2027 |
| Study ends | January 30, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | July 29, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07455344 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are children and adolescents recorded in CHS outpatient psychotherapy (ages 6–18) and adolescents aged 11–18 receiving care at the Shalvata Crisis Intervention Unit, along with their caregivers and participating therapists.
✕Probably not a fit
Children hospitalized during psychotherapy, people not included in CHS records, individuals treated outside Shalvata, or those unable or unwilling to consent are unlikely to be included and therefore may not benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The project has two phases: a retrospective big-data analysis using Clalit Health Services (CHS) databases to examine children's and parents' mental and physical health from 2000–2024 and psychotherapy records from 2015–2024 to study dropout rates. Children and adolescents in CHS outpatient psychotherapy (ages 6–18) will be compared and grouped by age, with exclusions for those hospitalized during therapy. A prospective phase will follow adolescents (11–18), their caregivers, and therapists at the Crisis Intervention Unit in Shalvata Mental Health Center to identify pre-treatment and within-treatment predictors of outcome and dropout. Data sources include electronic health records, caregiver reports, and therapist information, with standard consent procedures for prospective participants.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help target services better, reduce therapy dropout, and improve support for children and families affected by the war.
How similar studies have gone: Meta-analyses and recent wartime research have linked greater trauma exposure to higher child distress, but this specific examination of psychotherapy outcomes after the October 7th events in Israel is novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Study 1 Inclusion Criteria: * Children and their mothers are members of Clalit Health Services. * Children and adolescents who received outpatient psychotherapy. * Aged 6-18 years at the start of psychotherapy. Exclusion Criteria: * Psychiatric hospitalization during the course of psychotherapy. * Mothers who are not members of Clalit Health Services. Study 2 Inclusion Criteria: * Children and their caregivers receiving treatment at the Crisis Intervention Unit at Shalvata Mental Health Center (MHC). * Therapists who hold a professional license to practice psychotherapy. * Therapists providing psychotherapy in the Child and Adolescent Clinic at Shalvata MHC. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients and caregivers who are unable or unwilling to provide informed consent. * Patients who are at immediate risk, as determined by the treating physician.
Where it's running
-
Shalvata Mental Health Center
Hod HaSharon, Israel Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Prof. Dana Tzur-Bitan, Prof
- Email: Dana.tzur@gmail.com
- Phone: +972542300966
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.