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Article History

Received: 9 January 2026

Accepted: 19 June 2026

First Online: 26 June 2026

Declarations

:

: Ethical oversight and trial registration . Approval to conduct the study was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the Hassan II University Hospital in Fez (reference number: 02/24 – January 2024). The study was also registered with the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry in January 2024 under the identifier PACTR202401711272288 . Consent procedures. Permission to implement the study will be sought from school headmasters, while participation will require the voluntary agreement of students and their parents or legal guardians. Given the minor status of participants, dual consent procedures will be systematically applied—even for parents not directly involved in the intervention—and no ethics waiver was granted. All participants will receive detailed information regarding the objectives of the study and will be asked to provide written informed consent prior to recruitment. Data protection and confidentiality . To ensure ethical integrity, research procedures will adhere strictly to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Confidentiality will be safeguarded through the use of unique identifiers, the exclusion of personally identifiable information, and the secure storage of encrypted data on restricted-access servers. All audio recordings will be anonymized during transcription and destroyed thereafter. Results will only be reported in aggregate form to maintain participant anonymity. Risk mitigation and distress management . Although the study involves no more than minimal risk, some participants may experience mild discomfort when responding to sensitive questions. To address this, a structured framework will be implemented. Preventive measures include informing participants of their right to decline any question or withdraw at any time without consequences. Participants will also be informed that assessment tools are not intended for clinical diagnosis and that support resources are available if needed. Data collection will occur in a school setting under supervision of trained research assistants, who will monitor participants and provide immediate support if necessary. A standardized debriefing procedure will be implemented at each session’s end to normalize any potential discomfort. Response procedures will be activated in cases of elevated distress, with referrals made to school-based support services (guidance counselors or psychologists) or, where unavailable, to local healthcare providers through school administration.

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare no competing interests.