Comprehensive Program for Youth Mental Health (EMPATHY)

University of Alberta

Status: Completed

Conditions: Depression; Anxiety; Suicide

Treatments: Behavioral: Breaking Free; Behavioral: Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic X-factor thoughts (SPARX); Behavioral: This Way Up; Behavioral: Resiliency Training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02169960

AMH-SCN-02

Details and patient eligibility

About

The majority of addiction and mental health problems seen in adults present first in youth. There is strong evidence that prevention and early identification during childhood can mitigate some of these risks. Students who screen at risk for the development of mental illness will be offered online intervention programs with personal guidance from a trained coach. In addition, lessons revolving around resiliency will be provided to all students.

The objectives of this study are:

• Decreased rates of depression and suicide (as well as rates of suicide attempts)
• Decreased use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, with additional downstream benefits such as reduced rates of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and cancer
• Decreased school drop-out rates Decreased rates of interactions with the justice system
• Decreased costs across a range of ministries (health, education, justice, human services), both for youth as well as their families who have been involved in this program

Enrollment: 5,514 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 11 to 18 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• The intervention group will be the top 10% of all students participating in the school screening.

Exclusion criteria

• Lack of consent, lack of assent, lack of the ability to read and understand the screening tools or intervention tools

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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5,514 participants in 4 patient groups

Middle School, General

Active Comparator group

Description:

OVK Resiliency Training Program - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy designed to modify negative thoughts and feelings. This program also includes a social problem-solving component.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Resiliency Training

High School, General

No Intervention group

Description:

No intervention - no Resiliency training, no online intervention for high school students who do not score at risk for development of mental health issues

Middle School, Top 10%

Active Comparator group

Description:

Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic X-factor thoughts (SPARX), Breaking Free, This Way Up online interventions offered to middle school students who score in the Top 10% of their grade for development of mental health issues. OVK Resiliency Training is also provided.

Treatment:

Behavioral: This Way Up

Behavioral: Resiliency Training

Behavioral: Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic X-factor thoughts (SPARX)

Behavioral: Breaking Free

High School, Top 10%

Active Comparator group

Description:

Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic X-factor thoughts (SPARX), Breaking Free, This Way Up online interventions offered to middle school students who score in the Top 10% of their grade for development of mental health issues.

Treatment:

Behavioral: This Way Up

Behavioral: Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic X-factor thoughts (SPARX)

Behavioral: Breaking Free