Transitioning Emotionally and Academically to Middle School Successfully (TEAMSS)
Key facts
- Who runs it
- UConn Health
- Where
- West Hartford, United StatesSee the site
- Trial code
- Status
- Completed
- People taking part
- 32 people enrolled
- Started
- 8 Feb 2024
- Ended
- 30 Jul 2026
- Type of study
- Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets no study treatment, for comparison.
- Treatments tested
- Transitioning Emotionally and Academically to Middle School Successfully (TEAMSS)
- Record updated
- 12 August 2026
Who can take part
- Age
- 9 years to 13 years
- Sex
- Women and men
- Healthy volunteers
- Can take part
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 7 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- be in the last year of a participating elementary school
- have elevated anxiety symptoms that are their primary concern as indicated by 1) a total SCARED score at baseline of 15 or higher using parent and/or child report, and/or 2) a Clinician Severity Rating (CSR) of 3 or higher on the ADIS
- read and understand English (both parent and child)
- All clinician participants must be at least a part time employee of a CT MS in the role of school clinician
Who cannot take part
- Students who have a non-anxiety primary mental health concern (e.g., ADHD) will be excluded from TEAMSS, as this intervention is aimed at reducing anxiety and it would not be effective at treating other mental health concerns. Students with comorbid conditions secondary to anxiety will be eligible; Clinician:
- None
Other criteria
- Student:
Where in United States
- UConn HealthWest Hartford, United States
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
Excessive anxiety is a common problem that severely impairs short and long term academic functioning. The transition to middle school (MS) results in increases in anxiety and decreases in academic functioning. Students with anxiety in particular, due to their vulnerability to school-based stressors, are at risk for social, emotional and academic failure during the transition to MS. Unfortunately, the majority of these students do not get identified. Reducing student anxiety has been associated with improvement in academic functioning. Because the transition to MS is inevitable, targeting students with excessive anxiety will help their adjustment to their new school setting, reducing the need for special education and mental health counseling. No interventions exist to help these students with this transition.
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This study aims to: (1) develop and assess the feasibility of a brief, multi-component intervention, referred to as TEAMSS, Transitioning Emotionally and Academically to Middle School Successfully, to reduce anxiety and improve academic functioning through the transition to MS using an iterative development process (i.e., expert review, two open trials, and small randomized controlled trial (RCT)); (2) conduct a pilot RCT comparing the preliminary impact of TEAMSS, relative to enhanced usual care (EUC), in improving students' social, behavioral, and academic functioning through the transition to MS; and (3) examine theory-based mediators, predictors, and moderators of TEAMSS and assess intervention costs.
The 2 groups in the trial
- TEAMSS Intervention in the RCTTreatment being tested
Students randomly assigned to the TEAMSS intervention will receive the 5th and 6th grade components.
Treatment: Transitioning Emotionally and Academically to Middle School Successfully (TEAMSS)
- Enhanced Usual Care in the RCTNo study treatment, for comparison
Enhanced Usual Care (EUC) will serve as the comparison group. EUC will be comprised of written materials (given all at once after randomization by study team) for parents and children that include: 1) a specialty mental health referral list; 2) a list of websites and books on child anxiety; and 3) tip sheets on successful transitions to MS. Families in this condition will not be prohibited from seeking treatment (though this will be monitored) for their children. These students will visit and meet with the 6th grade clinician in the spring of 5th grade.
Data and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Transitioning Emotionally and Academically to Middle School Successfully: Development of a Brief Intervention to Reduce Student Anxiety (TEAMSS)
- Record updated
- 12 August 2026