Combined Intervention of Long-term Letter Mentoring and Centralized Summer Camp by University Student Volunteers for Disadvantaged Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

NCT07087886 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: ZGL202506-9
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 497
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a combined intervention of summer camp and letter-writing support works to improve psychological resilience in disadvantaged adolescents in Liangshan, Sichuan. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does the "summer camp + letter-writing" intervention improve resilience in adolescents who face poverty, lack of parental care, or social risks? Does this intervention reduce depression and anxiety symptoms? Researchers will compare adolescents who join the summer camp and receive monthly letters to those who do not receive this program to see if the intervention helps their mental health and coping skills. Participants will: Attend a 5-day summer camp that includes group games, emotion expression activities, life education, and learning support Receive monthly letters from trained university student volunteers for about 10 months after the camp. The letters will encourage them, give advice, and help them practice what they learned in the camp Complete surveys about their resilience, depression, and anxiety before the intervention, during it, at the end, and 6 months later This study will also look at whether the program is cost-effective, meaning if it brings mental health benefits at a reasonable cost.

Conditions

Resilience, Psychological

Keywords

Psychological resilience; Disadvantaged adolescents; Letter-writing support; Summer camp intervention; University student volunteers

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Psychological resilience (RSCA score) at post-intervention

  Psychological resilience will be assessed using the Resilience Scale for Chinese Adolescents (RSCA), a 27-item validated instrument measuring five dimensions of resilience. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale, and the total score ranges from 27 to 135, with higher scores indicating greater resilience.

  At baseline (1 month before intervention), mid-intervention (Month 6), end of intervention (Month 11), and follow-up (Month 17)

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Change in depressive symptoms from baseline to follow-up (PHQ-9)

  At baseline (1 month before intervention), mid-intervention (Month 6), end of intervention (Month 11), and follow-up (Month 17)

• Change in anxiety symptoms from baseline to follow-up (GAD-7)

  At baseline (1 month before intervention), mid-intervention (Month 6), end of intervention (Month 11), and follow-up (Month 17)

• Change in mobile device addiction symptoms from baseline to follow-up (SAS-SV)

  Baseline (T0): 1 month before summer camp Post-intervention (T2): Month 11 Follow-up (T3): Month 17

Other Outcomes (2)

• Change in life satisfaction from baseline to follow-up

  At baseline (1 month before intervention), end of intervention (Month 11), and follow-up (Month 17)

• Change in future orientation from baseline to follow-up

  At baseline (1 month before intervention), end of intervention (Month 11), and follow-up (Month 17)

Study Arms (2)

Intervention Group

EXPERIMENTAL

A two-phase intervention consisting of (1) a 5-day resilience training summer camp and (2) 10-month letter-writing support by university student volunteers.

Behavioral: Combined Resilience Intervention

Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

Participants will not receive the full intervention but will be offered a condensed version after the study ends for ethical consideration.

Interventions

Combined Resilience Intervention BEHAVIORAL

A two-phase behavioral intervention aimed at improving psychological resilience among socioeconomically disadvantaged adolescents. The intervention includes: 1. a 5-day structured summer camp led by trained university student volunteers, featuring psychoeducational group sessions, emotional expression activities, and life skills training, based on SEL, CBT, and positive psychology frameworks; and 2. a 10-month pen-pal letter-writing component, where each child is matched with a trained university volunteer to receive monthly supportive letters. This stage reinforces the gains from the summer camp through sustained emotional support, skill reminders, and positive guidance. The intervention is designed to be low-cost, scalable, and ethically safe, and has been standardized through manuals and training protocols.

Intervention Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 10 Years - 16 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Students enrolled in Grade 7 or Grade 8 (junior middle school) in selected schools in Yuexi County, Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province.
• Identified as "children in adversity," including those from economically disadvantaged families, left-behind children, children with disabilities, or other children deemed at-risk by school officials.
• Able to understand and complete psychological questionnaires.
• Mentally and physically able to participate in group activities and engage in written communication.
• Willing to participate in the study and provide informed assent.
• Legal guardian has signed written informed consent for participation.

You may not qualify if:

• Children with serious psychiatric or developmental disorders (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability) that impair comprehension or participation.
• Currently receiving professional psychological counseling or treatment that may interfere with the study protocol.
• Participation in other mental health interventions in the past year.
• Planning to transfer, drop out, or leave the region during the study period.
• Judged by the research team to be unsuitable for participation due to medical or other reasons (e.g., serious physical illness that prevents participation in camp activities).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Xiaoxuan Liu: lead

Central Study Contacts

xiaoxuan Liu, MA

CONTACT

+8613305630831; xiaoxuanliu@zju.edu.cn

Xudong Zhou, PhD

CONTACT

+8618158101668; zhouxudong@zju.edu.cn

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Phd candidate

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 16, 2025
• First Posted: July 28, 2025
• Study Start: August 17, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 30, 2026
• Last Updated: July 28, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share