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Are gains in emotional symptoms and emotion-regulation competencies after the REThink therapeutic game maintained in the long run? A 6-month follow-up

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Abstract

Emotional disorders are the most prevalent mental health conditions affecting children and adolescents. Thus, it becomes essential to develop and test early intervention strategies that are accessible, attractive, and can effectively improve their emotional functioning. A randomized control trial compared the prevention effects of the REThink therapeutic game to those of a standard face-to-face prevention program, and a waitlist which was transformed at follow-up into care as usual. Out of 142 healthy children and adolescents who completed the intervention stage, 137 (mean age: 12.84, SD: 1.97) completed a follow-up assessment measuring emotional symptoms, depressive mood and emotion regulation. We also tested potential moderators of its long-term effects, such as parental psychological control, parent attachment and childhood trauma. Our results highlighted the fact that the REThink intervention had a durable impact on the children’s mental health and their ability to regulate their emotions. Moreover, we found that trauma, parent psychological control and parent attachment moderated the maintenance of the improvements. Future research needs to further document how to personalize the game and prevention program components to better address the characteristics of the youths at risk for mental health problems. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03308981, from 13.10.2017.

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The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.

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Funding

This work was supported by two grants awarded to Oana A. David from the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, CNCS-UEFISCDI [grant numbers PN-II-PT-PCCA2013-4–1937 and PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2019–3837].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. DATA Lab, International Institute for Advanced Studies in Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Oana A. David & Liviu A. Fodor

  2. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeș-Bolyai University, No. 37, Republicii Street, 400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Oana A. David

  3. Evidence Based Psychological Assessment and Interventions Doctoral School, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Liviu A. Fodor

Authors
  1. Oana A. David
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Correspondence to Oana A. David.

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On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Institutional Review Board at the author’s affiliated institution.

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Informed consent (including the processing of personal data according to EU regulations) to participate/to publish was obtained from the participants’ parents and from the school principal.

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David, O.A., Fodor, L.A. Are gains in emotional symptoms and emotion-regulation competencies after the REThink therapeutic game maintained in the long run? A 6-month follow-up. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 32, 1853–1862 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-022-02002-w

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