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Parent Coaching for Happiness in Youth with Maternal Depression

This study, called "Parent Encouragement And Coaching of Happiness in Youth," is looking at how parent coaching can help children's brain responses to rewards, especially when mothers experience depression. It involves mothers aged 18 and older who have elevated depression levels and are the primary caregivers for children aged 4 to 99. Participants will either receive "Parent Coaching" focused on increasing positive emotions in their child, or "Active Control" which provides general parent support. The main goal is to see if this coaching can improve a child's "Reward Positivity" (RewP), which is a measure of how their brain responds to positive experiences, over a period of up to 10 weeks. This study aims to understand how mothers' interactions can influence their child's emotional development.

Study design
This is an interventional study with a planned enrollment of 180 participants. It compares two behavioral interventions: Parent Coaching and Active Control.
What's involved
Not specified in the trial record.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
The primary endpoint, Reward Positivity (RewP), is measured from baseline week 1 to the final assessment at week 5 (maximum week 10).

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT06725160

Parent Encouragement And Coaching of Happiness in Youth

Recruiting
NAAges 4–99InterventionalBasic science
University of Pittsburgh
~180 participants
Updated 2026-01-28 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Parent CoachingActive Control

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Reward Positivity (RewP)
Measured over From baseline week 1 to final assessment week 5 (week 10 maximum)

Conditions

Depression
Parent-Child Relations

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Depression

NCT06725160

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 1 site. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • University of Pittsburgh

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvaniastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

Study leadership

  • Judith M Morgan, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Pittsburgh
  • Lauren M. Bylsma, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Pittsburgh

Who to contact

Julie Research Coordinator
[email protected]
412-509-8787
Email the study team

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Birth mother (biologically female, any gender)
Providing regular care for participating child (i.e., at least 50% of time)
Elevated, clinically significant levels of depression (16 or higher on CES-D)
Aged 18+
Aged 4-6 years

Exclusion

Lifetime history of a bipolar disorder
Lifetime history of a psychotic disorder
T-score greater than 63 on the internalizing or externalizing composites of the CBCL
Lifetime history of a psychiatric illness
Lifetime history of neurodevelopmental disorder
Lifetime history of neurological disorder

What this trial measures

  • Reward Positivity (RewP)From baseline week 1 to final assessment week 5 (week 10 maximum)

    The Reward Positivity (RewP) ERP component of the EEG signal is the mean amplitude (μV; microvolt) on gain-loss trials during receipt of reward related feedback in a computerized reward task with higher RewP amplitudes indicating greater reward response (i.e., more favorable outcome).