Can a 'Mentalizing' therapy tame teen conduct disorders?
NCT ID NCT07181928
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study compares two treatments for teens aged 12-19 with oppositional defiant or conduct disorders. One group gets mentalization-based therapy (MBT), which helps teens understand their own and others' thoughts and feelings. The other group gets standard psychiatric care plus emotion-focused parent training. The goal is to see which approach leads to more teens no longer meeting the diagnosis for their disorder.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT) and Treatment-as-usual-plus (TAU-plus) (emotion-focused parent training with supportive child psychiatric care)
- What this could lead to
- If MBT works better, it could offer a more effective therapy option for teens with disruptive behavior disorders, reducing symptoms and improving family relationships.
- What could go wrong
- This is a relatively small trial (90 participants) that hasn't started yet. The therapy is behavioral, so results may vary, and it may not work for everyone. There is no drug or cure involved.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Institut für Psychosoziale Prävention, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
Heidelberg, Baden-Wurttemberg, 69115, Germany
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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