Evaluating an emotion coaching programme for parents of young adolescents attending Child Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in New Zealand: protocol for a multi-site feasibility trial including co-design with service users.

Abstract

Abstract Background Early adolescence is a time of increased vulnerability for the development of common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression (internalising outcomes). Current treatments such as Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy and antidepressant medication are focused on the individual and have small effect sizes, particularly in complex clinical settings. Parents are an important and under-utilised resource in treating these conditions in young adolescents. Teaching parents how to respond to their young person’s emotions can improve emotion regulation and reduce internalising outcomes. One emotion-focused programme for parents of this age group is Tuning in to Teens (TINT). This study aims to investigate the impact of TINT in the clinical setting of publicly funded Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in New Zealand. Methods The trial will evaluate the feasibility of a two-arm multi-site randomised control trial (RCT). Participants will be 10–14-year-olds referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Wellington, New Zealand with anxiety or depression, and their parents or guardians. The two arms will be usual care in CAMHS or, usual care plus parents attending a TINT group programme. TINT groups will be facilitated by CAMHS clinicians who have been trained in the programme and will be delivered over 8 weekly sessions. Prior to the RCT, a co-design methodology will be used with service-users to determine how the impact of this programme should be measured. Primary feasibility outcomes will be recruitment and retention of participants, acceptability of the intervention for service-users and clinicians, and acceptability of outcome measures. Discussion There is a need to improve outcomes for treatment of adolescent anxiety and depression. TINT is a promising programme to enhance outcomes for those accessing mental health services by providing targeted support to parents of adolescents. This trial will inform whether a full RCT is feasible to evaluate TINT. Including service-users in the design will increase its relevance in this setting. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN): ACTRN12622000483752. Registered 28 March 2022.