Feasibility and Preliminary Outcomes of the Brave Elephant Program: A Single-Arm Pretest-Posttest Study

Starting soon · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Anxiety

In brief

Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent in childhood and have increased following the COVID-19 pandemic. Behavioral inhibition in early childhood is a well-established risk factor for later anxiety. School-based preventive interventions that target both classroom environments and individual child characteristics may help reduce early risk and improve socioemotional development. Interventions delivered in preschool settings that address the needs of behaviorally inhibited children, while also supporting professional development, may improve the quality of interactions within the classroom and with families, and promote positive developmental outcomes. The Brave Elephant Program is an evidence-based intervention grounded in a bioecological developmental framework. It aims to empower early childhood education professionals to promote socioemotional competence and resilience in all children, while addressing the specific needs of behaviorally inhibited preschoolers and enhancing educators' professional development. This study will evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of the program using a single-arm pretest-posttest design.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07567820

Run by

ISPA - Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Psicologicas, Sociais e da Vida

People needed

60

Starts

2026-09-01

Expected to finish

2027-09-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-05-08

Who can join

Age: 3 and older, up to 6. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Children's age between 3 and 6 years
• Parents' written informed consent for children's participation in the study.
• Children's informed assent to participate in the study.
• Parents' ability to read and understand Portuguese.
• Early childhood and care professionals' ability to read and understand Portuguese
• Early childhood and care professionals' full-time contract for the school year.

You may not qualify if…

• Children's developmental disorders
• Children's, parents' and early education professionals' are enrolled in another psychological intervention.

Where it is running

• Ispa - Instituto Universitário — Lisbon, Portugal

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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