Technology Assisted Programs That Promote Mental Health for Teenagers (ProjectTECH)

Northwestern University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Depression

Treatments: Behavioral: Networked Peer Support with Peer Guide; Behavioral: Networked Peer Support with Clinician Coach

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01912729

P20MH090318 STU00056069-FTPT

P20MH090318 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The mission of this project is to develop novel systems of care that can provide efficacious, scalable, cost-effective, participant friendly behavioral intervention technologies (BITs) for the prevention of depression in adolescents. The investigators define BITs as interventions that use information and telecommunications technologies such as the internet, mobile or traditional phones, computers and/or other technologies to support and deliver psychological and behavioral interventions. Through usability testing, focus interviews, and field trials, investigators may modify the technologies and intervention based on immediate usage data.

Full description

The mission of this project is to develop novel systems of care that can provide efficacious, scalable, cost-effective, participant friendly behavioral intervention technologies (BITs) for the prevention of depression in adolescents. The investigators define BITs as interventions that use information and telecommunications technologies such as the internet, mobile or traditional phones, computers and/or other technologies to support and deliver psychological and behavioral interventions. Through usability testing, focus interviews, and field trials, investigators may modify the technologies and intervention based on immediate usage data.

Enrollment: 40 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 14 to 19 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Has a score of 12-39 (males) / 15-39 (females) on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) OR reported past month use of marijuana, cigarettes, alcohol or other substances on the Center for Disease Control Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS).
• Is familiar with the use of computers and the Internet, as well as mobile phones
• Is able to speak and read English
• Is between 14-19 years of age

Exclusion criteria

• Is currently taking an antidepressant medication or has taken one in the previous 3 months
• Has visual, hearing, voice, or motor impairment that would prevent completion of study procedures or use of the Internet or mobile phone
• Is diagnosed with a psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, dissociative disorder, current substance dependence, or other diagnosis for which participation in this trial is either inappropriate or dangerous. Inclusion of participants with symptoms of anxiety disorders, eating disorders and substance abuse disorders will be made on a case-by-case basis.
• Is severely suicidal (has ideation, plan, and intent in the past 12 months) .

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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40 participants in 3 patient groups

Networked Peer Support with Peer Guide

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will have access to tools and lessons based on Cognitive Behavior Therapy through a mobile phone application. Additionally, participants will have access to a private social network that connects them with other participants in the study. The social network will be moderated by a trained peer coach.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Networked Peer Support with Peer Guide

Networked Peer Support with Clinician Coach

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will have access to tools and lessons based on Cognitive Behavior Therapy through a mobile phone application. Additionally, participants will have access to a private social network that connects them with other participants in the study. The social network will be moderated by a clinician coach.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Networked Peer Support with Clinician Coach

Wait List Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants may be asked to wait for up to 8 weeks until minimum group size is met. After 4 weeks from baseline, if a group has not yet started, we will conduct another assessment. These participants will serve as the Wait List Control group.