RightFit
RecruitingNot applicable

Developing Resilience and Anxiety Management Through the Arts

Developing Resilience and Anxiety Management Through the Arts (DRAMA) 2

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
8 Years to 17 Years
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

Not stated in the study description — ask the study team about visits and procedures.

Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

The DRAMA Study tests whether arts activities can reduce stress, anxiety, and sad mood in children and teens ages 8–17. It compares acting games with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which teaches skills to manage thoughts and feelings, with acting games alone and a social craft group.

The Developing Resilience and Anxiety Management Through the Arts (DRAMA) Study examines the degree to which the arts can help to address stress, anxiety, and sad mood in children and adolescents. The researchers will pair theatrical improvisation exercises with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques versus improvisation exercises alone versus a social craft group on reducing elevated levels of anxiety and depression.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Must be 8–17 years old.
  • Must have permission from a parent or guardian.
  • Must have high anxiety or depression on at least one study test: SCARED score of 15 or higher, RCADS Depression T score of 65 or higher, or a K-SADS clinician rating of 3 for an anxiety or mood disorder.

Who can't join

  • Have conduct disorder, which involves serious behavior problems, or behaviors that make it hard to join group activities or follow directions.
  • Have autism or delays in development.
  • Have symptoms of psychosis, such as seeing or hearing things that are not there, or are currently suicidal.
  • Have an active eating disorder that raises health concerns and needs treatment and close monitoring.
  • Have an unstable dose, a recent change, or an upcoming change in medicine for mental health.
  • Do not speak English.
  • Are under the state's legal care, also called wards of the state.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Between 8 and 17 years of age * Individuals must have parental/guardian consent * Elevated levels of anxiety or depression based on 1. Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) score of 15 or higher, or; 2. Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) Depression T score of 65 or higher, or; 3. Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS) clinician severity rating of 3 on any anxiety disorder or on a mood-related disorder Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnosed with Conduct Disorder or with behavioral symptoms that would make it difficult for the child/adolescent to participate in the group or comply with directions given by the group leader (such as difficulty following instructions, difficulty staying in one's seat, defiance of adults, harming animals or people, threatening others, getting into physical fights, hyperactivity, impulsivity, difficulty waiting for one's turn, etc.) * Autism or developmental delays * Psychotic symptoms or active suicidality * Active Eating Disorders that raise concerns about morbidity and therefore need to be addressed in an intervention and actively monitored * Unsteady dosage or recently or impending changes to psychotropic medication(s) * Non-English-speaking individuals * Wards of the State

Study sites (1)

OH