ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT07764536Updated Nov 10, 2026

Augmenting Parent Management Training for Child Temper Outbursts Using a Digital Tool

An observational study in Disruptive Behavior Disorders, Conduct Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder, sponsored by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 8 Years to 13 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-10.

Sponsored by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) · Observational

Updated Nov 10, 2026Now RecruitingStart date moved+1 moreGo to Updates ↓
Study type
Observational
Model
Other
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
200
Ages
8 Years to 13 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Background:

Pediatric disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) are characterized by severe irritability, anger, and temper outbursts. The primary way to treat children with DBDs is parent management training (PMT). PMT teaches parents how to reward desired behaviors and not to reward undesired ones. Researchers want to find out if a smartphone app can help parents apply these skills more effectively.

Objective:

To test a smartphone app to enhance PMT.

Eligibility:

Children aged 8 to 13 years with DBDs. A parent or guardian is also needed.

Design:

Parents will have 12 weekly sessions of PMT. PMT teaches them how to manage their child s mood and behaviors. Parents will learn to actively ignore, praise, set limits, and handle temper outbursts. PMT can be either in person or via video. Sessions last 30 to 60 minutes. They will be video and audio recorded.

Parents will be divided into 2 groups. Only 1 group will download a smartphone app. The app helps parents practice PMT skills. It offers videos, a resource library, and alerts when a child may be at risk for various behaviors.

All parents will be prompted every day to answer questions about their child s mood and their own behavior. These will continue until 12 weeks after their last PMT session.

Children will also answer questions on their phone daily for 1 week at a time. They will do this on 3 different weeks, each about 2 months apart. They will also have check-ins by phone every 2 weeks for up to 6 months.

Parents will have follow-up calls 3, 6, and 12 months after they finish PMT.

Read the detailed description

Study Description:

This study is a feasibility study (N=60 parent-child dyads) of a digital tool (machine learning and a smartphone application) augmenting parent management training (PMT) to support the reduction of irritability and temper outbursts through changes in parenting behaviors (i.e., active ignoring) for pediatric disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs). We examine the feasibility of the study design (i.e., two-arm randomized controlled trial [RCT] of PMT + ecological momentary assessment [EMA] + digital tool vs. PMT + EMA + no digital tool) and examine patterns of change in irritability, outbursts, and parenting behaviors (i.e., active ignoring).

Objectives:

Primary Objective: Determine the feasibility of the design of a clinical trial (i.e., RCT with two parallel arms - PMT + EMA + digital tool compared to PMT + EMA + no digital tool).

Secondary Objective:

  • Determine whether outbursts and irritability decrease in PMT + EMA + digital tool and PMT + EMA + no digital tool. Determine whether severity of impairment decreases and general functioning improves in both groups.
  • Determine whether active ignoring increases in PMT + EMA + digital tool and PMT + EMA + no digital tool.

Tertiary Objective:

  • Examine whether attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and depression symptoms decrease in PMT + EMA + digital tool and PMT + EMA + no digital tool.
  • Monitor treatment acceptability and fidelity and therapeutic support.

Endpoints:

Primary Endpoint:

Dropout in each arm of the trial (PMT + EMA + digital tool vs. PMT + EMA + no digital tool).

Secondary Endpoint:

  • Changes in child outbursts and irritability measured using the Clinician-rated Affective Reactivity Index (CLARI); parent-/child-ARI; Brief Irritability Test (BITe); and parent/child EMA (collected 3x/day from baseline through 3 months post-treatment). Changes in severity of impairment and general functioning using the Children s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS), Clinical Global Impressions Scale-Severity (CGI-S), and Clinical Global Impress Scale-Improvement (CGI-I).
  • Changes in active ignoring measured using parent EMA (collected 3x/day from baseline through 3 months post-treatment).

Tertiary Endpoint:

  • Changes in symptoms of ADHD, anxiety, and depression. ADHD is measured using the ADHD Rating Scale (ADHD-RS) and Conners Parent Rating Scale (CPRS-R). Anxiety is measured using the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) and Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale (PARS). Depression is measured using the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) and Child Depression Rating Scale (CDRS).
  • We will monitor treatment acceptability using the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI) and treatment fidelity using an adherence scale previously developed by our group.
02

Conditions studied

  • Disruptive Behavior Disorders
  • Conduct Disorder
  • Oppositional Defiant Disorder
  • Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Keywords

  • Disruptive Behavior Disorders
  • Parent Management Training
  • Children
  • Parents
  • Digital tool
  • Irritability
  • Temper outbursts
03

In context

Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders

60 studies on the registry are indexed under Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders; 7 are open to participants now.

Browse Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders studies →

Lead sponsor

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is the lead sponsor of 367 studies on the registry; 45 are open to participants now.

Of its 25 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 24 (96%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
8 Years to 13 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

This study is for children 8-13 years old with irritability as a primary clinical concern and no more than minimal response to current treatment. At least one parent/guardian must be willing to enroll and have the cognitive ability to consent, and the child must be able to understand and willing to sign a written assent document. The enrolled, consented parent must be willing to attend 12 parent management training sessions and use the study s digital tool. Both parent and child must be fluent in English. Exclusion criteria for children are active major depression or history of psychosis, bipolar I disorder, level 2 or 3 autism spectrum disorder, active severe substance use, active suicidal intent or plan, IQ below 70, or medical or neurological conditions that may interfere with study participation. Exclusion criteria for parents are IQ below 70, medical/mental health conditions that interfere with participation, or current substance or alcohol problems requiring separate treatment.

Eligibility criteria

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA:

Inclusion Criteria for Youth:

To be eligible to participate, an individual must be enrolled in the 01-M-0254 protocol. All screening will occur under 01-M-0254 and all inclusion criteria for youth and parent or guardian will be determined under the 01-M-0254 protocol. To be eligible to participate, an individual must meet all the following criteria:

  • Enrollment into protocol 01-M-0254 for screening purposes
  • Age 8-13 years (8 years 0 months through 13 years 11 months)
  • Parent/guardian and/or child reports irritability as a primary clinical concern. Specifically, compared to his/her peers, the child exhibits markedly increased reactivity to negative emotional stimuli that is manifest verbally or behaviorally. For example, the child responds to frustration with extended temper tantrums (inappropriate for age and/or precipitating event), verbal rages, and/or aggression toward people or property. This criterion is assessed based on the clinical interview conducted with parent/guardian and child after consenting into protocol 01-M-0254 for screening.
  • On the basis of record review and interviews with child and parent or guardian, the research team agrees that the child s response to his/her current treatment is no more than minimal (i.e., CGI-S of 3 or more). This criterion is assessed based on the clinical interview conducted with parent/guardian and child after consenting into protocol 01-M-0254 for screening.
  • Patients must be fluent in (speaking, reading) English after consenting into protocol 01-M-0254 as determined through clinical judgement.

    --This study uses English-language manualized PMT. The PMT intervention materials, digital tool, therapist and rater training and supervision procedures, fidelity ratings, and outcome measures are currently available and validated only in English. Because psychotherapy relies on nuanced verbal exchange, use of translation or interpreters could alter treatment content, affect therapeutic alliance, compromise fidelity, and limit accurate clinical risk assessment. Enrolling non-English speakers can introduce a confound to our research objectives around feasibility, symptom and behavior change, and acceptability and fidelity. Restricting enrollment to English-speaking participants is therefore necessary to ensure participant safety and scientific validity in this trial. Critically, this eligibility criterion is based solely on the language requirements of the intervention and study procedures and is not intended to exclude participants on the basis of race or ethnicity or any other factors.

  • At least one parent or guardian of the minor subject must be willing to enroll in the protocol and have the cognitive ability to consent.
  • The minor subject must be able understand a written assent document as determined through clinical judgement, as well as be willing to sign a written assent document.

Inclusion Criteria for Parent or Guardian:

To be eligible to participate, an individual must be enrolled in the 01-M-0254 protocol. All screening will occur under 01-M-0254 and all inclusion criteria for youth and parent or guardian will be determined under the 01-M-0254 protocol. To be eligible to participate, an individual must meet all the following criteria:

  • Enrollment into 01-M-0254 for screening purposes
  • Parent or guardian of a child eligible for this protocol that can attend 12 PMT sessions and is willing to use the digital tool
  • Fluent in English after consenting into protocol 01-M-0254 as determined through clinical judgement
  • Ability of parent or guardian to understand the consent form and the willingness to sign a written document

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Exclusion Criteria for Youth:

All screening will occur under 01-M-0254 and all exclusion criteria for youth and parent or guardian will be determined under the 01-M-0254 protocol. Participants will be screened to exclude participants who would not be able to engage in psychotherapy. All individuals meeting any of the exclusion criteria at baseline will be excluded from participation.

  • Active major depressive disorder or history of psychosis, bipolar I disorder, Level 2 or 3 autism spectrum disorder, active severe substance use disorders (within the last month), have active suicidal intent or plan as detected on screening instruments
  • IQ \< 70
  • Past or present medical or neurological condition, disease, disorder, genetic finding, or injury that, in the opinion of the Investigator, may significantly increase the potential risks of study participation, reduce or compromise a subject s ability to fully comply with all study requirements for the duration of the study or may compromise the integrity of the data.

Exclusion Criteria for Parent or Guardian:

All screening will occur under 01-M-0254 and all exclusion criteria for youth and parent or guardian will be determined under the 01-M-0254 protocol. Participants will be screened to exclude participants who would not be able to engage in psychotherapy. All individuals meeting any of the exclusion criteria at baseline will be excluded from participation.

  • IQ \< 70 as assessed via a neuropsychological assessment or via assessment by trained clinical staff
  • Have any serious medical, mental health, or any condition that interferes with participation, such as active psychosis.
  • Current alcohol or substance use or dependence (excluding nicotine) within the past 3 months of sufficient magnitude to require independent, concurrent treatment intervention (e.g., antabuse or opiate treatment but not including self-help groups).
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

05

Study design

Observational model
Other
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
200 participants (estimated)

Groups and cohorts

  • Children/adolescents with irritability

    Children/adolescents with irritability

  • Parents/guardians of children/adolescents with irritability

    Parents/guardians of children/adolescents with irritability

    Behavioral: Psychotherapy

Interventions

  • BehavioralPsychotherapy

    Either parent management training alone or parent management training with a digital tool.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Dropout in each arm of the trial

    Differential participant dropout in Group 1 (parent management training + digital tool) compared to Group 2 (parent management training + no digital tool) by parent management training session 12.

    Time frame: By parent management training session 12

Secondary outcomes

  1. Clinician Affective Reactivity Index (CL-ARI)

    A 12-item clinician-administered measure of temper outbursts, irritable mood, and impairment over the past week, based on parent and child report.

    Time frame: Pre-treatment, bi-weekly during treatment, mid-treatment, post-treatment, follow up (3-, 6-, and 12-months)

  2. Affective Reactivity Index (ARI)

    A brief parent- and self-report measure of irritability with 6 core items (score range 0 12) and an additional impairment item not included in the total score.

    Time frame: Pre-treatment, weekly during treatment, mid-treatment, post-treatment

  3. Brief Irritability Test (BITe)

    A 5-item self-report measure assessing irritability over the past two weeks on a 6-point scale.

    Time frame: Pre-treatment, mid-treatment, post-treatment

  4. Clinical Global Impressions Improvement (CGI-I)

    A clinician-rated, diagnosis-independent measure of overall treatment response, assessing change from relative to a baseline on a 7-point scale (1 = very much improved to 7 = very much worse).

    Time frame: Pre-treatment, mid-treatment, post-treatment, follow up (3-, 6-, and 12-months)

  5. Clinical Global Impressions Severity (CGI-S)

    A clinician-rated measure of the patient s current level of psychopathology on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Normal, not at all ill) to 7 (Among the most extremely ill patients), providing a single global index of illness severity at the time of assessment.

    Time frame: Pre-treatment, bi-weekly during treatment, mid-treatment, post-treatment, follow up (3-, 6-, and 12-months)

  6. The Children s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS)

    A clinician rated, diagnosis nonspecific measure of overall functioning in children and adolescents. It provides a single global rating of the child s psychological, social, and school functioning over a specified time period (usually the current level or past week), based on all available clinical information. Scored on a 100 point continuum divided into 10 point descriptive anchor ranges, with scores ranging from 1 (most impaired functioning) to 100 (superior functioning). Higher scores indicate better overall functioning, while lower scores reflect increasing levels of impairment.

    Time frame: Pre-treatment, bi-weekly during treatment, mid-treatment, post-treatment, follow up (3-, 6-, and 12-months)

  7. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of child temper outbursts and irritability

    EMA items are parent-report and child-report of child temper outbursts and irritability.

    Time frame: In both groups, parents/guardians complete EMA 3x/day from a baseline period through 12 weeks post-treatment (up to 30 weeks) and children complete EMA 3x/day for one week pre-, mid-, and post-treatment (3 weeks total)

  8. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of parent active ignoring

    EMA items are parent-report of parent use of the active ignoring skill.

    Time frame: In both groups, parents/guardians complete EMA 3x/day from a baseline period through 12 weeks post-treatment (up to 30 weeks)

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
    Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
    Recruiting
    • NIH Clinical Center Office of Patient Recruitment (OPR) · Contactccopr@nih.gov · 800-411-1222
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — In compliance with current NIH data-sharing policies, de-identified data from participants who have consented to data sharing will be made available in a public repository.

Supporting information: Study protocol, Informed consent form, Analytic code

Time frame: De-identified data from participants who have consented to data sharing will be made available in a public repository at time of publication without an end date.

Access criteria: De-identified data from participants who have consented to data sharing will be made available in a public repository that can be accessed by anyone.

09

Timeline

32 registry updates since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedDate before it movedWhere the date was before it moved

Start is estimated for Nov 2026; primary completion for Dec 2036, 121 months later.

Start moved 32 times since we started tracking on Sep 25, 2026: Sep 2026 → Nov 2026, last on Nov 10, 2026.

Earlier changes are on the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Aug 13, 2026
First posted
Aug 14, 2026
StartEst.
Nov 15, 2026was Sep 2026
Primary completionEst.
Dec 31, 2036
CompletionEst.
Dec 31, 2037
Last update
Nov 10, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
Status
Not yet recruiting→Recruiting
changed Oct 5, 2026
Sites
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center is now Recruiting
Oct 5, 2026
Start date
Sep 29, 2026→Nov 15, 2026
moved 32 times, Sep 25, 2026 – Nov 10, 2026
Show all 32 updates
  1. Nov 10, 2026
    Start date Nov 12, 2026→Nov 15, 2026
  2. Nov 9, 2026
    Start date Nov 11, 2026→Nov 12, 2026
  3. Nov 6, 2026
    Start date Nov 10, 2026→Nov 11, 2026
  4. Nov 5, 2026
    Start date Nov 9, 2026→Nov 10, 2026
  5. Nov 4, 2026
    Start date Nov 8, 2026→Nov 9, 2026
  6. Nov 3, 2026
    Start date Nov 5, 2026→Nov 8, 2026
  7. Nov 2, 2026
    Start date Nov 4, 2026→Nov 5, 2026
  8. Oct 30, 2026
    Start date Nov 3, 2026→Nov 4, 2026
  9. Oct 29, 2026
    Start date Nov 2, 2026→Nov 3, 2026
  10. Oct 28, 2026
    Start date Nov 1, 2026→Nov 2, 2026
  11. Oct 27, 2026
    Start date Oct 29, 2026→Nov 1, 2026
  12. Oct 26, 2026
    Start date Oct 28, 2026→Oct 29, 2026
  13. Oct 23, 2026
    Start date Oct 27, 2026→Oct 28, 2026
  14. Oct 22, 2026
    Start date Oct 26, 2026→Oct 27, 2026
  15. Oct 21, 2026
    Start date Oct 25, 2026→Oct 26, 2026
  16. Oct 20, 2026
    Start date Oct 22, 2026→Oct 25, 2026
  17. Oct 19, 2026
    Start date Oct 21, 2026→Oct 22, 2026
  18. Oct 16, 2026
    Start date Oct 20, 2026→Oct 21, 2026
  19. Oct 15, 2026
    Start date Oct 19, 2026→Oct 20, 2026
  20. Oct 14, 2026
    Start date Oct 18, 2026→Oct 19, 2026
  21. Oct 13, 2026
    Start date Oct 14, 2026→Oct 18, 2026
  22. Oct 9, 2026
    Start date Oct 13, 2026→Oct 14, 2026
  23. Oct 8, 2026
    Start date Oct 12, 2026→Oct 13, 2026
  24. Oct 7, 2026
    Start date Oct 11, 2026→Oct 12, 2026
  25. Oct 6, 2026
    Start date Oct 8, 2026→Oct 11, 2026
  26. Oct 5, 2026
    Not yet recruiting→Recruiting
    National Institutes of Health Clinical Center is now Recruiting
    Start date Oct 7, 2026→Oct 8, 2026
    + 2 other changes: verification date and references
  27. Oct 2, 2026
    Start date Oct 6, 2026→Oct 7, 2026
  28. Oct 1, 2026
    Start date Oct 5, 2026→Oct 6, 2026
  29. Sep 30, 2026
    Start date Oct 4, 2026→Oct 5, 2026
  30. Sep 29, 2026
    Start date Oct 1, 2026→Oct 4, 2026
  31. Sep 28, 2026
    Start date Sep 30, 2026→Oct 1, 2026
  32. Sep 25, 2026
    Start date Sep 29, 2026→Sep 30, 2026

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07764536
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Aug 14, 2026
Start date
Nov 15, 2026 (estimated)
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2036 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 31, 2037 (estimated)
Last update
Nov 10, 2026

Study contacts

Melissa A Brotman, Ph.D.
Contact
irritablekids@mail.nih.gov
(301) 435-6645
Melissa A Brotman, Ph.D.
principal investigator · National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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