Recruiting

Teachers Leading the Front Lines - Adolescent

ClinicalTrials.gov IDNCT06248203

PhaseNA

Enrollment216

SponsorUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Age13 Years

SexALL

I'm interested View official listing

Conditions studied

Adolescent Behavior, Adolescent - Emotional Problem, Mental Health Issue, Psychosocial Functioning, Depression, Anxiety

About this study

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to pilot test a novel, alternative, potentially sustainable system of teacher-delivered, task-shifted adolescent mental health care. Participants: Principals of 60 rural, low-cost private secondary schools of the Darjeeling Himalayas will be invited to participate as a school and an individual. Teachers will be approached individually. Two students per teacher who meet inclusion criteria will be randomly chosen for enrollment. Procedures: This is a RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) guided, mixed methods CRCT, clustered at schools, of Tealeaf-A's Reach, Adoption \& Implementation (Primary Outcomes, implementation-based), as well as evaluating for preliminary indicators of Effectiveness \& Maintenance (Secondary Outcomes, clinically-based).

Interventions

Behavioral: Tealeaf-Mansik Swasta (Tealeaf) as adapted for Adolescents — The investigators will test Tealeaf (Teachers Leading the Frontlines - Mansik Swastha \[Mental Health in Nepali\]) as adapted for adolescents. Tealeaf is a task-shifting intervention in which teachers deliver transdiagnostic mental health care. Created in Darjeeling, Tealeaf centers on training and supervising teachers to deliver "education as mental health therapy" (Ed-MH) to children (age 5-12). Ed-MH is the investigators' novel, task-shifting, therapy modality that minimizes the time teachers need to deliver care by fitting it into their work. In Ed-MH, teachers use evidence-based therapeutic techniques adapted for use in their existing interactions with students in need (e.g., while teaching) and streamlined for care for any diagnosis ("transdiagnostic"). Tealeaf-A's adaptation (inclusive of Ed-MH) is supported by a Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (DDCF), Fund to Retain Clinical Scientists (FRCS), Caregivers at Carolina COVID award.
Behavioral: Enhanced Usual Care (EUC) — Enhanced Usual Care (EUC) is a less intensive version of the Tealeaf intervention. The EUC service package has been designed to be the most intensive form of care that could be envisioned as viable in the study setting in the foreseeable future without a significant increase in resource investment.

Primary outcomes

Mean Number of Dropouts (Reach) (Month 9 of Academic Years 1 and 2)
Applied Mental Health Research Dissemination and Implementation Adoption Scale scores (Adoption) (Month 0, Month 9 of Academic Years 1 and 2)
Applied Mental Health Research Dissemination and Implementation Adoption Scale scores (Implementation) (Month 9 of Academic Years 1 and 2)

Eligibility information

Inclusion Criteria: Schools: * LCP (Low-Cost Private) Secondary Schools * Enrolled families earning \<$10 daily * Located in greater Darjeeling * Principal must also be eligible to participate Principals: * \>18 years old * Employed at enrolled school * Not suspected or convicted of child maltreatment Teachers: * \>18 years old * Employed at enrolled school * Not suspected or convicted of child maltreatment Students: * Age 13 - 17 years * Student of enrolled teacher * Borderline or clinical Total Problem or subscale score of YSR (Youth Self-Report) and TRF (Teacher's Report Form) * Each student has a lead teacher (2/teacher), with their other teachers also involved Guardians * \>18 years old * Guardian of enrolled student * Not suspected or convicted of child maltreatment Exclusion Criteria: * Exclusion criteria will be set as each participant not meeting inclusion criteria as set for their group.

Study locations

Darjeeling Ladenla Road Prerna, Darjeeling, West Bengal 734101 India

Before you participate: Varda Clinical is an independent discovery tool, not the study sponsor or a medical provider. Eligibility can only be determined by the official study team. Discuss potential risks and benefits with a qualified healthcare professional.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov. Record last refreshed by Varda Clinical: 2026-09-27.