Recruiting
Phase 1
Phase 2

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Sponsor:

Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Code:

NCT05685368

Conditions

Race-related Stress

Depression, Anxiety

Quality of Life

Stress Reaction

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 14 - 21

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

ACT for SCD

Study Details

Brief summary:

The current study seeks to build on previous research that demonstrates the efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in combating stigma by investigating the feasibility and acceptability of a protocol to support Black adolescents and young adults in coping with race related stress. The study will consist of a small, purposeful, non-randomized sample (N = 30) of clients enrolled into a 10-session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy group. The group will be offered as part of regular clinical care at the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine. Three consecutive groups will be run with approximately 8-10 participants in each group over the next year.

Conditions

Race-related Stress

Depression, Anxiety

Quality of Life

Stress Reaction

Study ID

NCT05685368

Start date

Apr 1, 2025

Status verified date

Apr, 2026

Completion date

Jun 30, 2029

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jun 30, 2029

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 14 - 21

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Youth Participant Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria The inclusion criteria for study participation are Be an adolescent and/or young adult (age 14-21) who has Sickle Cell Disease Willing to enroll in the ACT group jointly provided by the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine/Department of Hematology and Oncology Participants can be active, waitlisted, or new patients at CHLA Participants must be able to understand and speak English, as the therapy will only be delivered in English Participants must have an English-speaking parent/guardian Able to provide consent/assent An adolescent or young adult that is pregnant is eligible to participate if consent can be obtained Participants must be developmentally typical Have a stable internet connection (via computer, tablet, or phone) with access to a webcam and a private space to engage in a group therapy sessions; Must consent to audio and video recording of initial interview. Must agree to attend 6 weekly ACT group session Youth participants will be asked to become a member of the CAB. To become a CAB member, the youth participant must consent/assent to participation in the ACT intervention. If a CAB member, they must be willing to engage in CAB interviews and meetings.

The exclusion criteria are:

Prisoners or youth in detention centers Unable to understand or speak English Does not have SCD Clients who are at significant risk for suicide and self-injury will be excluded due to the intense levels of support required to support these individuals which would interfere with study procedures.

Adolescents with families that require frequent intervention from the Department of Children and Family Services, are currently experiencing psychosis, or have severe health concerns that will impact study participation or attendance will be excluded.

Study Design

Enrollment

66 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Crossover

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Acceptance Commitment Therapy

This study will use a 10-session ACT protocol to support Black adolescents and young adults in coping with race related stress.

no intervention: Control Group

Waitlist control group that will receive the intervention 3-4 months after the intervention group concludes.

Interventions

ACT for SCD

Phase I Using a convenience sample, this study examines the feasibility and acceptability of a proposed 6-session ACT group intervention for Black youth with sickle cell disease (SCD), who experience compounded stress due to chronic illness and systemic inequities. A up to 11 youth and up to 11 parents/legal guardians will be enrolled in an ACT group offered via the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine. Participants will complete assessments at pre-, and post-intervention, and at a 3-month follow-up. Up to 5 of 11 parents/legal guardians and 5 of 11 youth (not required to be dyadic) will also be a part of the studies community advisory board (CAB) to ensure the intervention is culturally and developmentally responsive and grounded in community perspectives.

Phase II Over the next 3 years this study will use a community-based participatory action research approach, extending and integrating feedback data collected in Phase I, to conduct a crossover waitlist-control trial.

Primary outcome measure

  • Total Score on Index of Race-Related Stress (IRRS)-Brief Version [ Time Frame: 12 weeks ]
  • Sickle Cell Self-Efficacy Scale [ Time Frame: 6 mos ]
  • SCD Health-Related Internalized Stigma Scale [ Time Frame: 6 mos ]
  • Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ), [ Time Frame: 6 mos ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Locations

Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Recruiting

Los Angeles, California, United States, 90027

Contacts

More Information

Sponsor

Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Last update posted

May 6, 2026

Last verified

Apr, 2026

Keywords

  • Black
  • African American
  • Adolescents
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
  • race-related stress
  • racial trauma
  • coping

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-09. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Children's Hospital Los Angeles on 2026-05-06.