CEDARS Intervention: A Coping, Emotional Development, & Stress Reduction Intervention (CEDARS)

Coping and Emotional Development for Adolescents to Reduce Stress for Adolescents

Using an adapted stress-reduction intervention called the CEDARS, the investigators will pilot the intervention in adolescents (N=40) to determine the feasibility and acceptability of CEDARS implementation and to investigate adolescent stress reduction. As an exploratory aim, the investigators will explore the influence of the CEDARS on CMH-related behaviors and CMH. The investigators expect that those adolescents who undergo the intervention will have the greatest improvement in mental health symptoms than their waitlisted counterparts. Our secondary hypothesis is that those who report more adversity will also report greater improvement in mental health symptoms than their peers.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Adolescent Behavior; Stress Reduction; Adverse Childhood Experiences; Positive Attitude
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: CEDARS

Detailed Description

This intervention has been adapted based on feedback from previous focus groups with adolescents, clinical staff, community stakeholders, and a CEDARS workgroup.

Participants will be divided into two groups - 20 in the intervention group and 20 in the waitlisted group.

Adolescents in the intervention group will participate in 7 weekly, 1-hour sessions. This online intervention will feature positive affect and stress reduction skills delivered via self-paced and self-guided modules. The skills are taught through brief didactic and semi-interactive videos followed by invitations and opportunities for practice within the session and at home. Participants will complete a baseline, mid-point, and post-intervention survey to determine the influence of the intervention.

There will be one follow-up survey with participants after the intervention. The survey will take place 1 month after the program has concluded.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 36
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Illinois
    • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
      • Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 15 years to 19 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adolescents ages 14-19
• Adolescents able to speak and understand English fluently
• Adolescents with reliable internet access (for virtual access to online modules)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals younger than age 14 and older than age 19
• Individuals who are not able to speak or understand English fluently
• Individuals without reliable internet access

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: CEDARS- Active Intervention; Using an adapted stress-reduction intervention called the CEDARS, the investigators will pilot the intervention in adolescents (N=20) to determine the feasibility and acceptability of CEDARS implementation and to investigate adolescent stress reduction.	Behavioral: CEDARS; This intervention is intended to help adolescents cope with stress and improve positive affect.
Other: CEDARS- Waitlisted Control; The investigators will use a wait-listed control for the pilot intervention in adolescents (N=20) to determine the feasibility and acceptability of CEDARS implementation and to investigate adolescent stress reduction.	Behavioral: CEDARS; This intervention is intended to help adolescents cope with stress and improve positive affect.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
CEDARS Intervention	Participants will directly benefit from taking part in the interventions by learning and putting into practice new tools to reduce and manage their stress.	8 Weeks
Baseline, Midpoint, and Post-Intervention Surveys	Participants will complete a baseline survey, a mid-point survey, and a post-intervention survey (after the completion of the last CEDARS online module).	8 weeks
Post-Intervention Follow-Up	There will be one follow-up survey with participants. The final survey will be 1 month post-intervention survey.	4 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Nia Heard-Garris, MD,MSc,FAAP, Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 29, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 24, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): July 28, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 1, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 1, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): July 12, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): December 16, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 8, 2025
• Last Verified: December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Adolescent Behavior; Stress Reduction; Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs); CEDARS; Positive Affect Intervention
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Adolescent Behavior
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB 2021-4642

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No