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Trial registered on ANZCTR


Registration number
Help: Registration number
ACTRN12626000426381
Ethics application status
Help: Ethics application status
Approved
Date submitted
Help: Date submitted
17/03/2026
Date registered
Help: Date registered
7/04/2026
Date last updated
Help: Date last updated
7/04/2026
Date data sharing statement initially provided
Help: Data sharing statement date
7/04/2026
Type of registration
Help: Type of registration
Prospectively registered

Titles & IDs
Public title
Testing parent-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for perfectionism in children
Scientific title
Growing Strong Minds: Effectiveness of an Innovative Parent-Guided Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) Intervention Targeting Childhood Perfectionism
Additional trial identifiers [1] 316791 0
Nil known
Universal Trial Number (UTN)
Trial acronym
Related trial records
ACTRN12623000396628 is the pilot study of the intervention being revised and assessed further in this record.

Health condition
Health condition(s) studied:
Perfectionism 341115 0
Stress 341116 0
Depression 341117 0
Self-efficacy 341119 0
Eating disorder 341120 0
Anxiety 341121 0
Condition category
Condition code
Mental Health 337228 337228 0 0
Other mental health disorders
Mental Health 337229 337229 0 0
Anxiety
Mental Health 337230 337230 0 0
Depression
Mental Health 337231 337231 0 0
Eating disorders

Intervention/exposure
Study type
Interventional
Description of the intervention or exposure
For this project, we will revise a cognitive behaviour therapy intervention for perfectionism in youth aged 7-12, delivered by parents with guidance, which showed promising results in a completed pilot study (ACTRN12623000396628). The intervention is called Growing Strong Minds (GSM). It is being revised with the aim of enhancing effectiveness while increasing acceptability.

In the pilot study, 60% of parents completed all 6 modules, indicating parental time constraints interfered with completion and that only one module a fortnight was practical, very young children found some of the concepts difficult, and children wanted less reading. We will therefore (1) reduce the modules to 5, consistent with evidence that between 4-6 sessions is a sufficient dose, (2) simplify materials to make them more suited to younger children, and (3) modify the children's part of the intervention in a way that utilises gamification (e.g., use of virtual badges and rewards).

Each of the modules will have three components: (1) psychoeducation for parents, which they will read independently in a PDF document, (2) homework tasks for parents to do with children spread over a 2-week period (e.g., completing a behaviour experiment testing a perfectionistic belief, practising self-compassion together), (3) a child workbook (delivered online, via Qualtrics survey) with one "chapter" (i.e., survey) associated with each module. The modules will include (1) Learning about perfectionism, (2) Experimenting with perfectionism, (3) Self-compassion, not self-criticism, (4) Problem solving in the face of avoidance and procrastination, (5) Expanding self-worth. The pilot version of the modules is being revised for this new trial, and access to these pilot modules is not provided here to ensure that they are not accessed by participants to this new trial, which could cause cross-over effects.

A guide will meet with the parent or parents (one or more may attend guidance sessions) via Microsoft Teams or over the phone (based on parental preference) fortnightly on 5 occasions for up to 30 minutes per occasion to facilitate understanding and encourage problem-solving. Children will not be present during these sessions. To ensure fidelity to the program, the guide will follow a standardised manual.

Adherence to the intervention will be measured as follows: (1) child adherence will be measured by percentage of survey completion and the number of free text exercises responded to when completing their workbooks via Qualtrics survey; and (2) parental adherence will be measured by number of guidance sessions attended.
Intervention code [1] 333480 0
Behaviour
Intervention code [2] 333562 0
Treatment: Other
Description of the comparator or control
Parents in the control group will be provided 5 psychoeducation modules to read (in PDF format), at a rate of one module per fortnight. These modules will cover the same themes as the GSM intervention, but will only contain the psychoeducation component (i.e., not the homework tasks for parents to do with children spread over a 2-week period nor the child workbook). Parents in the control group will also not be accessing guidance.

Adherence by parents in the control group will be measured using an item in the end-of-treatment survey asking parents what percentage of module content they read.

After completion of the final questionnaires, parents in the control group will be provided the full GSM intervention and one online orientation meeting with a guide to help them learn how to deliver it.
Control group
Active

Outcomes
Primary outcome [1] 344753 0
Child perfectionism
Timepoint [1] 344753 0
Baseline, 10-weeks [end of treatment] and 20-weeks post-randomisation [follow-up; primary timepoint]
Primary outcome [2] 344846 0
Parental perfectionism
Timepoint [2] 344846 0
Baseline, 10-weeks [end of treatment] and 20-weeks post-randomisation [follow-up; primary timepoint]
Secondary outcome [1] 459095 0
Stress
Timepoint [1] 459095 0
Baseline, 10-weeks [end of treatment] and 20-weeks post-randomisation [follow-up]
Secondary outcome [2] 459096 0
Depression
Timepoint [2] 459096 0
Baseline, 10-weeks [end of treatment] and 20-weeks post-randomisation [follow-up]
Secondary outcome [3] 459097 0
School satisfaction
Timepoint [3] 459097 0
Baseline, 10-weeks [end of treatment] and 20-weeks post-randomisation [follow-up]
Secondary outcome [4] 459098 0
Academic self-efficacy
Timepoint [4] 459098 0
Baseline, 10-weeks [end of treatment] and 20-weeks post-randomisation [follow-up]
Secondary outcome [5] 459099 0
Eating, shape and weight concerns (this will be assessed as a composite outcome)
Timepoint [5] 459099 0
Baseline, 10-weeks [end of treatment] and 20-weeks post-randomisation [follow-up]
Secondary outcome [6] 459100 0
Anxiety
Timepoint [6] 459100 0
Baseline, 10-weeks [end of treatment] and 20-weeks post-randomisation [follow-up]
Secondary outcome [7] 459101 0
Intervention acceptability
Timepoint [7] 459101 0
10-weeks post-randomisation [end of treatment]
Secondary outcome [8] 459494 0
Happiness
Timepoint [8] 459494 0
Baseline, 10-weeks [end of treatment] and 20-weeks post-randomisation [follow-up]

Eligibility
Key inclusion criteria
Parent participants should be parents who are residing in Australia, fluent in English, and identify that their child (aged 7–12) has perfectionism impacting their psychosocial functioning; for example, “Does your child set extremely high standards for themselves?” and “Do they pursue these standards even if it causes stress or self-criticism?”.

Child participants should be aged 7-12, fluent in English, and identified by their parent as having perfectionism impacting their psychosocial functioning.
Minimum age
7 Years
Maximum age
No limit
Sex
Both males and females
Healthy volunteers
No
Key exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria for child participants are organic brain damage, complex trauma history or recurrent self-injury requiring specialist services, or current suicidality that warrants immediate clinical attention and constitutes a current risk of harm to the individual.

There are no exclusion criteria for parent participants.

Study design
Purpose of the study
Treatment
Allocation to intervention
Randomised controlled trial
Procedure for enrolling a subject and allocating the treatment (allocation concealment procedures)
Allocation to a condition will be carried out by the Qualtrics online survey platform when families complete the baseline questionnaire. This will be achieved by Qualtrics randomly assigning embedded data for one of the two conditions. Hence, allocation is carried out with no involvement by the researchers and is entirely concealed to them.
Methods used to generate the sequence in which subjects will be randomised (sequence generation)
Random allocation to conditions will be achieved by Qualtrics randomly assigning embedded data for one of the two conditions (using the "randomiser" function in survey flow after all questionnaires have been completed).
Masking / blinding
Open (masking not used)
Who is / are masked / blinded?



Intervention assignment
Parallel
Other design features
Phase
Not Applicable
Type of endpoint/s
Efficacy
Statistical methods / analysis

Recruitment
Recruitment status
Not yet recruiting
Date of first participant enrolment
Anticipated
1/09/2026
Actual
Date of last participant enrolment
Anticipated
1/05/2028
Actual
Date of last data collection
Anticipated
Actual
Sample size
Target
84
Accrual to date
Final
Recruitment in Australia
Recruitment state(s)
ACT,NSW,NT,QLD,SA,TAS,WA,VIC

Funding & Sponsors
Funding source category [1] 321386 0
Charities/Societies/Foundations
Name [1] 321386 0
Australian Rotary Health
Country [1] 321386 0
Australia
Primary sponsor type
University
Name
Flinders University
Address
Country
Australia
Secondary sponsor category [1] 324130 0
None
Name [1] 324130 0
Address [1] 324130 0
Country [1] 324130 0
Other collaborator category [1] 283878 0
Individual
Name [1] 283878 0
Professor Sarah Egan (enAble Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia; Discipline of Psychology, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia)
Address [1] 283878 0
Country [1] 283878 0
Australia
Other collaborator category [2] 283879 0
Individual
Name [2] 283879 0
Prof Roz Shafran (Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, England)
Address [2] 283879 0
Country [2] 283879 0
United Kingdom

Ethics approval
Ethics application status
Approved
Ethics committee name [1] 319927 0
Flinders University Human Research Ethics Committee
Ethics committee address [1] 319927 0
Ethics committee country [1] 319927 0
Australia
Date submitted for ethics approval [1] 319927 0
16/01/2026
Approval date [1] 319927 0
26/02/2026
Ethics approval number [1] 319927 0

Summary
Brief summary
Trial website
Trial related presentations / publications
Public notes

Contacts
Principal investigator
Name 148846 0
Prof Tracey Wade
Address 148846 0
Flinders University, Sturt Rd, Bedford Park SA 5042
Country 148846 0
Australia
Phone 148846 0
+61 8 8201 3736
Fax 148846 0
Email 148846 0
[email protected]
Contact person for public queries
Name 148847 0
Dr Madelaine de Valle
Address 148847 0
Flinders University, Sturt Rd, Bedford Park SA 5042
Country 148847 0
Australia
Phone 148847 0
+61 8 8201 7821
Fax 148847 0
Email 148847 0
[email protected]
Contact person for scientific queries
Name 148848 0
Dr Madelaine de Valle
Address 148848 0
Flinders University, Sturt Rd, Bedford Park SA 5042
Country 148848 0
Australia
Phone 148848 0
+61 8 8201 7821
Fax 148848 0
Email 148848 0
[email protected]

Data sharing statement
Will the study consider sharing individual participant data?
Yes
Will there be any conditions when requesting access to individual participant data?
Persons/groups eligible to request access:
• Researchers
Conditions for requesting access:
• No requirements
What individual participant data might be shared?
• De-identified individual participant data:
• All outcomes data
What types of analyses could be done with individual participant data?
• Any type of analysis (i.e. no restrictions on data re-use)
When can requests for individual participant data be made (start and end dates)?
From:
After publication of main results
To:
No end date
Where can requests to access individual participant data be made, or data be obtained directly?
• Data repository: Data will be made available under Co-Investigator Prof Tracey Wade’s projects on the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/rtzv3/)

Are there extra considerations when requesting access to individual participant data?
Yes: We will be asking all participating families whether they consent to sharing their deidentified data being shared on an open access database. We will only upload data from participants who have consented to this.



What supporting documents are/will be available?

No Supporting Document Provided


Results publications and other study-related documents

Documents added manually
No documents have been uploaded by study researchers.

Documents added automatically
No additional documents have been identified.