School program to boost resilience and stress coping in rural middle-school students
Official title: Enhancing Stress Resilience and Coping Skills Among Adolescents in Rural China Through School-Based Psychological Interventions: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
Run by Peking University · NCT07115186 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether a brief, four-session school program can improve stress resilience and reduce depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms in middle-school students in rural China.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 10 Years to 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 850 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Peking University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Hebei, Baoding) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | May 12, 2025 |
| Main results expected | June 1, 2026 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | August 11, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07115186 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are currently enrolled middle-school students attending regular classes in the participating rural school who can hear, speak, read, and write well enough to join sessions and complete questionnaires.
✕Probably not a fit
Students judged to be at high risk of suicide or with severe mental disorders requiring more intensive clinical care are unlikely to benefit from this brief school-based program.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Middle-school students from a rural school in Hebei are randomly assigned to either a four-session psychological intervention delivered over one week or to a wait-list control. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress are measured with validated scales (PHQ-9, GAD-7, CPSS-5) at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. The trial uses multilevel modeling and structural equation modeling to examine changes over time and potential mediators of benefit. The intervention combines psychoeducation and guided written therapy tailored for classroom delivery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could give adolescents practical coping skills that reduce stress-related symptoms and be scaled for use across rural schools.
How similar studies have gone: Similar brief, school-based psychosocial programs have produced modest to moderate reductions in adolescent depression and anxiety in other settings, though evidence specifically from rural Chinese populations is limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Currently enrolled middle school students attending regular school classes * Sufficient functional capacity in hearing, speaking, reading, and writing to participate in intervention activities and assessments. Exclusion Criteria: * Individuals assessed to be at high risk of suicide, based on screening or clinical judgment * Diagnosis of severe mental disorders (e.g., psychotic disorders, severe mood disorders) that would interfere with participation or require more intensive clinical care
Where it's running
-
Biancun middle school
Hebei, Baoding, China Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Zang Yinyin, PhD
- Email: yinyin.zang@pku.edu.cn
- Phone: +86 15553201610
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Hypertension risk-based precision intervention in high-risk adults in Shunyi
This community trial tests whether a WeChat-based, personalized health plan can help adults 35–65 at high risk for hypertension avoid developing it.
-
Mindfulness for Emotional Distress: An EEG-Based Trial in Adults
A randomized trial tests a mindfulness program for adults with subclinical emotional distress to see if it reduces anxiety and changes brain activity compared with progressive muscle relaxation.
-
Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress in GERD
This online mindfulness program is being tested to see if it can help adults with GERD feel less emotional distress and experience fewer reflux symptoms.
-
Salt sensitivity test using N-of-1 trials in people with high blood pressure
This study tests, in individuals with elevated blood pressure, whether their blood pressure responds differently to high-sodium versus low-sodium diets using a series of single-person trials.
-
Fundamental Movement Skills–CrossFit program to improve school readiness in preschool children with autism
This will test whether a 12-week Fundamental Movement Skills–CrossFit program helps preschool children with autism (ages 3–6) improve school readiness, motor skills, and self-regulation compared with usual care.
-
Escitalopram in first-episode, drug-naïve major depressive disorder
This study tests whether escitalopram can help adults with their first episode of major depressive disorder who have not taken antidepressants before.
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.