NCT07118072

A Pilot Study to Examine the Efficacy of Internet-Delivered Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (i-STAIR) for Individuals With Adverse Childhood Experiences and Subsyndromal Depression

Internet-Delivered Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (i-STAIR) for Individuals With Adverse Childhood Experiences and Subsyndromal Depression: A Pilot Study

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 150 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Institute of Mental Health, Singapore · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 21 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The present study aims to pilot internet-delivered Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (i-STAIR) as a transdiagnostic emotion dysregulation intervention to prevent progression to depression in individuals with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and subsyndromal depression. The aims of the study are: (i) to examine the effectiveness of i-STAIR on emotion dysregulation, interpersonal skills, depressive and PTSD symptoms at post-intervention i.e. on completion of the intervention (8 weeks); (ii) to examine if gains were maintained at 3 month post- intervention follow-up.

Detailed description

Internet-delivered Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (i-STAIR) will be an effective intervention for preventing depression among those with adverse childhood experiences and subsyndromal depression. In contrast to the control group (i.e., individuals who received online general psychoeducation), we hypothesize that participants who receive i-STAIR will experience a significant reduction of depressive/PTSD symptoms and emotion dysregulation, as well as experience significant positive increases in interpersonal skills and perceptions of social support at post-intervention.

Conditions

• Subthreshold Depression

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Internet-Delivered Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation	Internet-Delivered Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (i-STAIR) is a psychological intervention that is focused on applying skills to improve emotion regulation difficulties and reduce interpersonal problems over two months (eight sessions; one session per week). i-STAIR also significantly reduces PTSD symptoms without direct discussion of the trauma and may be used alone or adjunctively to boost the effects of trauma-focused therapies.
BEHAVIORAL	Online general psychoeducation	Online general psychoeducation will focus on the teaching the link between adverse childhood experiences and depression, as well as teaching healthy lifestyle changes involving diet, exercise, and sleep. The online general psychoeducation will involve engaging presentations, active discussions, and self-directed homework activities.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-10-31
• Primary completion: 2028-12-01
• Completion: 2028-12-01
• First posted: 2025-08-12
• Last updated: 2026-02-27

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Singapore