Hold me Tight/Let me Go: Effectiveness of a Course to Enhance Parent-adolescent Relationship

NCT06966323 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: FMG-12034
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 150
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 5

Brief Summary

HmT/LmG is a group course for 4-6 parental dyads and consists of 4 group sessions with psycho-education and skills training and 3 individual sessions per family (i.e., 1 session with the adolescent, 1 session with the parents, and 1 session with parents and adolescent together). We want to evaluate effectiveness and treatment process mechanisms applying self-reports, audio observation and interviews.

Conditions

Parent Training; Parent Child Relationship; Parent-child Problem

Keywords

Hold Me Tight Program; Emotionally Focused Therapy; Parent Child Problems; Parent Child Relationships; Adolescents

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Change in relationship satisfaction (CSI-4)

  Positive change in relationship satisfaction of partners and adolescents (partners will report about their partner relationship, and parents and adolescents report about the parent-adolescent relationship). Satisfaction with the partner relationship of the parents, and the parent-adolescent relationship will be assessed with the 4 item Couple Satisfaction Index (CSI-4; Funk \& Rogge, 2007). Funk, J. L., \& Rogge, R. D. (2007). Testing the ruler with item response theory: Increasing precision of measurement for relationship satisfaction with the Couples Satisfaction Index. Journal of Family Psychology, 21(4), 572-583. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.21.4.572

  Change from baseline (pre-waiting, week 0) to post-intervention (week 5) and follow-up (week 13)

• Change in negative patterns (RDS)

  Negative change in negative patterns of partners and parents (partners will report about their partner relationship and parents and adolescents report about the parent-adolescent relationship). Negative patterns between the parents as partners and between parents and adolescent will be measured by the Relationship Dynamics Scale (RDS; Stanley et al., 2006) a four item self-report questionnaire. An example item is: 'When we argue, one of us withdraws, that is, does not want to talk about it anymore or leaves the scene.' Stanley, S. M., Amato, P. R., Johnson, C. A., \& Markman, H. J. (2006). Premarital education, marital quality, and marital stability: Findings from a large, random household survey. Journal of Family Psychology, 20(1), 117-126. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.20.1.117

  Change from baseline (pre-waiting, week 0) to post-intervention (week 5) and follow-up (week 13)

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Adolescents psychological need fulfillment (BPNS-9)

  Change from baseline (pre-waiting, week 0) to post-intervention (week 5) and follow-up (week 13)

• Adolescents support seeking to parent (IERQ-3)

  Change from baseline (pre-waiting, week 0) to post-intervention (week 5) and follow-up (week 13)

• Adolescents quality of life (KIDSCREEN-10)

  Change from baseline (pre-waiting, week 0) to post-intervention (week 5) and follow-up (week 13)

• Perceived ARE from parent to adolescent (BARE-6)

  Change from baseline (pre-waiting, week 0) to post-intervention (week 5) and follow-up (week 13)

Other Outcomes (5)

• Attachment

  baseline (pre-waiting, week 0) to post-intervention (week 5) and follow-up (week 13)

• Emotional clarity (understanding own emotions)

  baseline (pre-waiting, week 0) to post-intervention (week 5) and follow-up (week 13)

• Validation of emotions

  baseline (pre-waiting, week 0) to post-intervention (week 5) and follow-up (week 13)

Interventions

Hold me Tight / Let me Go BEHAVIORAL

Hold Me Tight / Let Me Go (HmT/LmG) is a manualized, group-based behavioral intervention for parents of adolescents aged 12 to 18. Grounded in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Hold me Tight for couples. HmT/LmG aims to improve the parent-adolescent relationship by enhancing emotional validation, secure attachment, and effective communication. The intervention consists of four group sessions for parents, supplemented by three structured individual or dyadic sessions involving both parents and adolescents. Key components include psycho-education, role plays, emotion-focused conversations, and exercises targeting validation, apologizing, and supportive limit setting. Families complete pre- and post-intervention questionnaires and a follow-up assessment to evaluate changes in relationship quality and psychological well-being.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 12 Years - 18 Years
• Sex: all
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Families with adolescents aged 12 to 18 years will be recruited via participating clinical practices (mental health organizations) in the Netherlands. Recruitment will focus on families experiencing difficulties in the parent-adolescent relationship that are believed to contribute to the adolescent's emotional or behavioral problems. The population includes single-parent families, two-parent families, and blended families. The intervention is offered in the context of regular care.

We will include: 1. Families with one or both parents/primary caretaker (single parent or blended families are allowed) with one adolescent of 12 to 18 years of age; 2. Adolescent problems are deemed to be exacerbated by a stressful parent-adolescent relationship. We will exclude: 1. Participants in command of the Dutch language. 2. Parents/primary caretakers and adolescents with severe psychopathology (e.g., psychosis, acute suicidality, severe depression) that will interfere with participation in the program. 3. Parents/primary caretakers already attending systemic therapy or intensive parental guidance during the waiting period and during HmT/LmG. Other individual therapy will be registered during intake, and afterwards by the therapists. During follow-up systemic interventions are allowed but have to be registered.

Contact the study team to discuss eligibility requirements. They can help determine if this study is right for you.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Amsterdam: lead

Study Sites (5)

Connected Together

Almere Stad, Netherlands

ACTIVE NOT RECRUITING

Molemann Mental Health

Almere Stad, Netherlands

ACTIVE NOT RECRUITING

Twig Clinics B.V.

Bilthoven, Netherlands

RECRUITING

Molemann Mental Health

Hilversum, Netherlands

RECRUITING

Twig Clinics B.V.

Woerden, Netherlands

RECRUITING

Study Officials

• Henk Jan Conradi, Doctor of Philosophy

  University of Amsterdam

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Sophie Jonker, Master of Science

CONTACT

31652365964; s.jonker@uva.nl

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 2, 2025
• First Posted: May 11, 2025
• Study Start: June 11, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): February 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2028
• Last Updated: December 24, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

NL (5)