Recognizing Emotional Neglect and Help-Seeking Intention Among Adolescents in Brussels

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Status: Begins enrollment this month

Conditions: Emotional Neglect; Help-Seeking Behavior; Healthy Adolescents in School-based Population

Treatments: Behavioral: Emotional neglect vignettes

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07365891

25276_Hulpzoekgedrag

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this study is to find out how well adolescents in Dutch-speaking secondary schools in Brussels can recognize emotional neglect, and how this relates to their intention to seek help.

The main research questions are:

1. How well do adolescents recognize situations of emotional neglect, and do boys and girls differ in their recognition?
2. Does recognition of emotional neglect predict adolescents' intention to seek help?

This study is conducted through an online survey. Participants will read one of four short written stories about an adolescent experiencing emotional neglect. The stories vary by gender (boy or girl) and by the clarity of the neglect (clear or ambiguous). After reading, participants answer questions about the story, including their thoughts and how they might respond in a similar situation. They also answer questions about their own experiences and attitudes toward help-seeking.

Enrollment: 500 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 11 to 25 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age: adolescents aged 11-25 years;
• Education: enrolled in regular full-time secondary education;
• School location: Brussels-Capital Region;
• School language: Dutch;
• Consent: informed consent provided by the adolescent and their parent(s)/guardian.

Exclusion criteria

• Age: younger than 11 years or older than 25 years;
• Education: not enrolled in regular full-time secondary education;
• School location: outside the Brussels-Capital Region;
• School language: non - Dutch-speaking;
• Consent: informed consent not provided by the adolescent or their parent(s)/guardian.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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500 participants in 4 patient groups

boy x clear situation

Experimental group

Description:

Participants are exposed to a vignette describing a boy in a clear emotional neglect situation.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Emotional neglect vignettes

boy x ambiguous situation

Experimental group

Description:

Participants are exposed to a vignette describing a boy in a ambiguous emotional neglect situation.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Emotional neglect vignettes

girl x ambiguous situation

Experimental group

Description:

Participants are exposed to a vignette describing a girl in a ambiguous emotional neglect situation.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Emotional neglect vignettes

girl x clear situation

Experimental group

Description:

Participants are exposed to a vignette describing a girl in a clear emotional neglect situation.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Emotional neglect vignettes