Emotion Focused Family Therapy for Parents of Children With Mental Health Difficulties

Last updated: January 21, 2026
Sponsor: University of Guelph
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

N/A

Condition

Depression

Panic Disorders

Mood Disorders

Treatment

Emotion Focused Family Therapy

Clinical Study ID

NCT05603000
EFFT
  • Ages 7-15
  • All Genders

Study Summary

Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) is a promising intervention that aims to teach parents advanced skills to support their child's development of emotion skills and increase their adaptive behaviours, potentially leading to improvements in their child's psychological functioning and family functioning more broadly.

This randomized controlled trial (RCT; EFFT vs waitlist control) will (1) test the efficacy of a 6-week group EFFT program on parent and child outcomes and (2) examine maintenance of treatment gains up to four months post-intervention.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Parent of child aged 7 to 15 years old with anxiety, depression, or behaviouralchallenges

  • Parent of child is willing to participate in intervention

  • Parent is living at home with the child

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Parent or child not proficient enough in speaking/understanding English to completemeasures or EFFT intervention components

  • Parent or child with a severe mental health disorder (e.g., active suicidality andpsychosis) is not considered suitable for the trial intervention due to the clinicalneed for immediate intervention

  • Parent or child is actively receiving, or due to receive, intensive psychologicalintervention focused on cognitive and/or behavioural strategies to intervene withemotional or behavioural difficulties

  • Parent or child has any disabilities in language, speech or hearing that wouldinterfere with their completion of the EFFT and measures

  • Parent or child are allergic to adhesive electrode gel use in some tasks (i.e.,sodium chloride)

Study Design

Total Participants: 200
Treatment Group(s): 1
Primary Treatment: Emotion Focused Family Therapy
Phase:
Study Start date:
October 11, 2022
Estimated Completion Date:
March 31, 2027

Study Description

This randomized controlled trial (RCT) will test the efficacy of a 6-week Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) group program on parent and child outcomes, compared to a waitlist control. Families will be randomized to either the EFFT group treatment or a waitlist. The RCT will evaluate changes in parent functioning, child functioning, and parent-child relationship functioning. A 4-month follow-up will test whether any changes from pre-to-post intervention are maintained at 4 months.

The RCT will also test proposed mechanisms of change (parent-child relationship quality, family functioning) and moderators of treatment effectiveness (parental stress).

Connect with a study center

  • Maplewoods Centre for Family Therapy and Child Psychology, University of Guelph

    Guelph, Ontario N1G 4S7
    Canada

    Site Not Available

  • Maplewoods Centre for Family Therapy and Child Psychology, University of Guelph

    Guelph 5967629, Ontario 6093943 N1G 4S7
    Canada

    Active - Recruiting

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