Many Trauma-affected Youth Face Long Waits for Therapy, Worsening Stress, and Avoidance. CISS, a 90-minute Session Based on Stanford's Cue-Centered Therapy, Offers Coping Tools and Psychoeducation During This Gap. This Pilot Tests CISS's Feasibility, Acceptability, and Impact on 30-40 Adolescents.

Plain-language summary

Many young people who have experienced traumatic events such as sexual assault, domestic violence, serious accidents, or natural disasters face long waits before they can begin full trauma-focused therapy. During this waiting period, symptoms such as avoidance, anxiety, and distress may worsen, and many youth lose motivation or confidence to start treatment. The Cue-Centered Therapy (CCT)-Informed Single Session Intervention (CISS) was designed to bridge this gap by offering a one-time, 90-minute session that teaches coping and self-understanding skills while youth are still on the waiting list. This study is a pilot feasibility trial conducted in partnership between Stanford University and the University of Auckland. The purpose of the study is to evaluate whether CISS is a practical, acceptable, and safe intervention for young people aged 13-18 who have been exposed to trauma and are currently waiting for or hesitant to begin full-length therapy within New Zealand Hapai Ora Clinics. Youth participants will meet once with a trained Hapai Ora clinician who will deliver the 90-minute CISS session. The session combines psychoeducation about trauma cues with skill-building strategies to improve coping, confidence, and readiness to engage in future treatment. Participants will complete short questionnaires before and after the session, and again at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Measures will assess coping self-efficacy, treatment readiness, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and whether participants eventually begin full-length therapy. The study will recruit approximately 30-40 adolescents across Hapai Ora clinical sites in Auckland, New Zealand. All clinicians providing the intervention are qualified mental-health professionals trained in both CISS and child-safety protocols. Participation involves minimal risk-similar to discussing difficult topics in a supportive therapy session. Findings from this pilot study will help researchers understand whether CISS can be feasibly and safely delivered within public mental-health services, and whether it shows promise in helping young people build coping skills, reduce avoidance, and increase readiness to start therapy. The results will guide future larger-scale trials and inform the development of single-session, early-intervention approaches for trauma-exposed youth worldwide.

Who can participate

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Trial details