Pathways 2 Success

Pathways 2 Success: A Study of School-Based Prevention Programs Supporting Positive Adolescent Development

This study involves a 3-arm randomized controlled trial designed to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of three preventive interventions designed to reduce risk for escalations in adolescent conduct problems. High school students identified to be at risk for conduct problems will be randomly assigned to one of three intervention options, including a mindfulness-based program, a mindfulness-based program augmented by a new mobile app, and a life skills program. Assessments related to intervention outcomes will be completed by adolescents, parents/guardians, and teachers at baseline, 2 weeks post-intervention, and at a 3-month follow-up.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Conduct Disorder; Oppositional Defiant Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: L2B; Behavioral: L2B + App; Behavioral: skills for success

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 120
• Phase: Phase 2; Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Nicole Morrell; Phone Number: 612-624-2600; Email: morre006@umn.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Minnesota
    • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55414
      • Recruiting
      • University of Minnesota
      • Contact: Timothy Piehler; Email: tpiehler@umn.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. A 9th or 10th grade student in a partner school district
2. Referral due to elevated social/emotional risk indicated on a standardized screening tool or a referral from school support staff due to concerns about school-based conduct problems
3. Adolescents and their parents must be fluent in English

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Currently receiving special education services (i.e., an IEP) due to a behavioral or emotional disturbance
2. Existing diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder, pervasive developmental disorders, developmental/intellectual disability, or serious psychiatric disorders requiring specialized mental health treatment (e.g., psychosis, bipolar, substance use disorder, etc.)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: The Learning to breathe (L2B); randomized to the Learning to Breathe (L2B) mindfulness intervention	Behavioral: L2B; a 6-session, group-based intervention that helps youth develop mindfulness skills
Experimental: L2B+App; randomized to the Learning to Breathe plus App condition	Behavioral: L2B + App; the Learning to Breathe plus App condition, the 6-session L2B intervention augmented by a mobile application designed to support the use of mindfulness skills in daily life
Experimental: Skills for Success; randomized to Skills for Success	Behavioral: skills for success; a 6-session life skills intervention designed to support decision making and healthy relationships

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Add Health Self-Report of Delinquency	A rating scale used to evaluate the number of times in the past month adolescents have committed 17 different antisocial acts. A rating scale used to evaluate the number of times in the past month adolescents have committed 17 different antisocial acts. Scores range from 0 to 17, with higher scores reflecting greater engagement in delinquent behaviors.	Baseline; up to 15 weeks; through study completion, approximately 6 months
Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning - Second Edition Screening Form	A 12-item rating scale that evaluates executive functioning A 12-item rating scale that evaluates executive functioning. Scores are reported as T-scores, with higher scores reflecting greater levels of executive functioning difficulties.	Baseline; up to 15 weeks; through study completion, approximately 6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Minnesota
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Timothy Piehler, University of Minnesota

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 12, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): February 28, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): February 28, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 7, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 13, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): February 17, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 13, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 9, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders; Oppositional Defiant Disorder; Conduct Disorder; Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins; Proteins; Macromolecular Substances; Multiprotein Complexes; Amyloid
• Other Study ID Numbers: STUDY00024346

Drug and device information, study documents

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