Assessing the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a school-based digital intervention for enhancing emotion regulation in Chinese children (CHEER): protocol for a feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Most mental health disorders are first experienced during childhood. There are evidence-based treatments, but it is difficult to reach all children in need. Schools have long been recognised as an ideal setting to provide mental health interventions and services for children. There is growing evidence of the effectiveness of school-based digital mental health interventions. Emotion regulation (ER) is central to psychopathology across childhood and adolescence. Cultivating ER can help build resilience and foster long-term well-being. We developed an app ('CoaCH Effective Emotion Regulation', CHEER) designed to promote ER, eventually aiming to reduce broader mental health disorders in children. The aim of the proposed study is to investigate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of the CHEER. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial with two parallel arms (intervention vs usual care), including students recruited across three sites in Anhui province, will be conducted. Schools are randomly assigned to the intervention or usual care control condition. Participants complete measures at three timepoints: baseline, postintervention and 1-month follow-up. The primary outcomes are the ER abilities and strategies of children. The secondary outcomes are well-being, depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms. The APP feasibility will be assessed by analysing children's objective engagement parameters alongside their subjective experience. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval for the study has been granted by the Medical Ethics Committee of Anhui Medical University (Project Number: 82240119). The results of the study will be disseminated through publications in scientific articles and presentations at relevant conferences and/or public events. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2400091728 (chictr.org.cn).

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