Effectiveness of a blended school-based mindfulness program for the prevention of co-rumination and internalizing problems in Dutch secondary school girls: a cluster randomized controlled trial

Patricia Vuijk*, Kim Bul, Marieke Buil, Marloes Rauws, Keshia Curie, Charlotte Amesz, Ron Weerheijm, Heleen Riper

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background: A growing body of literature indicates that adolescent girls who talk with close friends about interpersonal problems or worries in an excessive, speculative way, and with an intense focus on distress (i.e., co-rumination) are at heightened risk for developing internalizing symptoms and disorders as well as reduced friendship quality. However, to date, there are no prevention programs available that target high levels of co-rumination between adolescent girls. As such, we developed the blended school-based mindfulness prevention program Happy Friends, Positive Minds (HFPM) that targets co-rumination at the dyadic level, i.e., between two close female friends. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of HFPM to reduce co-rumination and internalizing problems and to enhance wellbeing and social-emotional behavior in Dutch adolescent girls. Methods: A cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (cRCT) will be conducted to evaluate HFPM effectiveness. We will recruit 160 female friendship dyads (n = 320 girls) aged 13 to 15 years who will be characterized by high levels of self-reported co-rumination. The cRCT has two arms: (1) an intervention condition in which 160 girls (80 friendship dyads) will receive the 14-week HFPM program in two consecutive cohorts (cohort 1 in academic year 2023/2024 and cohort 2 in academic year 2024/2025, and (2) a control condition in which 160 girls (80 dyads) will receive care-as-usual (CAU) in two consecutive cohorts (cohort 1 in academic year 2023/2024 and cohort 2 in academic year 2024/2025). Data will be collected at baseline (T0), during the program (T1;T2; T3), immediately after the program (T4), and at 1-year follow-up (T5). Participant-level self-reported risk for (early onset) depression and anxiety, self-reported and observed co-rumination, self- and friend-reported friendship quality, self-reported positive and negative affect, self-reported interpersonal responses to positive affect, and self-reported anhedonia symptoms will be the outcome variables. Discussion: This study will provide insights into the short-term and long-term effects of the HFPM program on girls’ internalizing problems, wellbeing, and social-emotional behavior. Trial registration: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trials, identifier: ISRCTN54246670. Registered on 27 February 2023.

Original languageEnglish
Article number40
Pages (from-to)1-16
Number of pages26
JournalTrials
Volume25
Early online date12 Jan 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This trial is supported by the Nationaal Regieorgaan Onderwijsonderzoek (40.5.19630.059/7940), SIA KIEM (SVB/KIEM/K.20.01.036), and Citylab010 (21.06.00091). The funders had no role in the study design; collection, management, analysis and interpretation of data, writing of the protocol paper, or the decision to submit the paper for publication. The do not have ultimate authority over any of these activities.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024, The Author(s).

Funding

This trial is supported by the Nationaal Regieorgaan Onderwijsonderzoek (40.5.19630.059/7940), SIA KIEM (SVB/KIEM/K.20.01.036), and Citylab010 (21.06.00091). The funders had no role in the study design; collection, management, analysis and interpretation of data, writing of the protocol paper, or the decision to submit the paper for publication. The do not have ultimate authority over any of these activities.

FundersFunder number
Nationaal Regieorgaan Onderwijsonderzoek21.06.00091, Citylab010, 40.5.19630.059/7940, SVB/KIEM/K.20.01.036
Nationaal Regieorgaan Onderwijsonderzoek

    Keywords

    • Adolescence
    • Cluster Randomized Controlled Ttrial
    • Co-rumination
    • Girls
    • Internalizing problems
    • Mindfulness
    • Prevention

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