Recognizing Emotional Neglect and Help-Seeking Intention Among Adolescents in Brussels

The goal of this study is to find out how well adolescents in Dutch-speaking secondary schools in Brussels can recognize emotional neglect, and how this relates to their intention to seek help. The main research questions are: 1. How well do adolescents recognize situations of emotional neglect, and do boys and girls differ in their recognition? 2. Does recognition of emotional neglect predict adolescents' intention to seek help? This study is conducted through an online survey. Participants will read one of four short written stories about an adolescent experiencing emotional neglect. The stories vary by gender (boy or girl) and by the clarity of the neglect (clear or ambiguous). After reading, participants answer questions about the story, including their thoughts and how they might respond in a similar situation. They also answer questions about their own experiences and attitudes toward help-seeking.

NCT Number	NCT07365891
Lead Sponsor	Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Conditions	Healthy Adolescents in School-based Population, Emotional Neglect, Help-Seeking Behavior
Enrollment	500 participants
Start Date	2026-02-23
Primary Completion	2026-06 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-06 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-04-28