Testing a Wellness App for First Responders, Military Personnel and Veterans

University of Pennsylvania

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Mental Health Wellness

Treatments: Behavioral: GUIDE

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06336967

855282

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of the research study is to trial a smart phone application, the GUIDE App, to better understand its impact on social connectedness, personal growth and mental health/wellness among first responders, soldiers, and veterans. The research team will also investigate workplace metrics (e.g., engagement and burnout), implementation outcomes and technical merit. The investigators plan to run a three-armed randomized waitlist pilot feasibility trial with up to 150 participants.

Full description

There is an urgent need to address mental wellbeing, isolation, and burnout among first responders, military personnel and veterans. Research shows that these groups are at a greater risk for suicide, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than the general civilian population, and that their occupations make them more likely to feel isolation and burnout. Despite these risks, first responders, soldiers and veterans tend not to seek help due to stigma, time burden and other barriers to entry. The GUIDE App was designed with this population in mind. The lessons and exercises take only minutes to complete, and the group chats are anonymous, so users can share their thoughts with likeminded peers, without the stigma. In a 4-week pilot study with 16 participants from the Wilkes Barre Police Department, the GUIDE App showed promising results in promoting wellbeing, reducing anxiety and encouraging personal growth. This clinical trial builds off the pilot study. The investigators will use a three-armed randomized waitlist pilot feasibility trial with 150 participants (first responders, soldiers, and veterans) to test whether use of the GUIDE App will lead to increased social connectedness, personal growth, and mental health/wellbeing; and whether these outcomes will in turn increase work engagement and reduce burnout. The investigators will also investigate implementation outcomes (e.g., the feasibility of using the app) and technical merit (e.g., how user-friendly the app is).

Enrollment: 115 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Law enforcement, military personnel, or veteran.
• Employed (part-time, full-time, self-employed).
• Owns compatible smartphone.
• Not paid by the GUIDE App/Nlyten Corp.
• No previous use of GUIDE App.

Exclusion criteria

• Not law enforcement, military personnel, or veteran.
• Not employed.
• Paid by GUIDE App/Nlyten Corp.
• Previous use of GUIDE App.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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115 participants in 3 patient groups

GUIDE with incentives

Experimental group

Description:

Immediate access to the GUIDE App smartphone application for 4 weeks with the opportunity to earn additional compensation, up to $100 in total, based on app engagement.

Treatment:

Behavioral: GUIDE

GUIDE without incentives

Experimental group

Description:

Immediate access to the GUIDE App for 4 weeks without the opportunity to earn additional compensation.

Treatment:

Behavioral: GUIDE

Waitlist

No Intervention group

Description:

Waitlisted with delayed access to the GUIDE App without the opportunity to earn additional compensation.