scholarly journals Efficacy of an Online Self-Help Treatment for Comorbid Alcohol Misuse and Emotional Problems in Young Adults: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

10.2196/11298 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. e11298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jona R Frohlich ◽  
Karli K Rapinda ◽  
Michael P Schaub ◽  
Andreas Wenger ◽  
Christian Baumgartner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Alcohol Misuse ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Emotional Problems ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Self Help

scholarly journals Efficacy of an Online Self-Help Treatment for Comorbid Alcohol Misuse and Emotional Problems in Young Adults: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jona R Frohlich ◽  
Karli K Rapinda ◽  
Michael P Schaub ◽  
Andreas Wenger ◽  
Christian Baumgartner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Alcohol Misuse ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Emotional Problems ◽  
Integrated Treatment ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Self Help

BACKGROUND Alcohol misuse and emotional problems (ie, depression and anxiety) are highly comorbid among Canadian young adults. However, there is a lack of integrated, accessible, and evidence-based treatment options for these young adults. OBJECTIVE The main goal of this study is to develop and test the efficacy of an integrated, online self-help program designed to target both alcohol misuse and emotional problems. METHODS A two-arm randomized controlled trial design will be used to compare the efficacy of the online integrated treatment to a psychoeducational control group. A target sample of 214 participants will be recruited and randomly assigned to either condition. The integrated treatment will last 8 weeks, and participants will work through 12 modules. Modules will incorporate content based on principles of cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing. Participants in the control group will receive links to psychoeducational resources and will have access to the full treatment after follow-up. The primary outcome will be the number of Canadian standard drinks consumed in the week leading up the assessment. Secondary outcomes of interest include symptoms of depression, anxiety, alcohol-related problems, quality of life, and use of other drugs. Assessments will be completed at 3 time-points: at baseline, at the end of treatment (ie, 8 weeks), and at follow-up (ie, 24 weeks). Upon completion, data will be analyzed using generalized linear mixed models. RESULTS Data collection began in June 2018 and will continue until January 2020. Final study results will be submitted for publication by July 2020. CONCLUSIONS Currently, there are no integrated treatments designed to target alcohol misuse and the range of emotional problems experienced by young adults. This research stands to provide an effective, accessible (ie, Web-based), and feasible option to treat the many struggling young adults in this country. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT03406039; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03406039 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/72fDefnrh) REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER PRR1-10.2196/11298

scholarly journals A Mobile Health Intervention (LifeBuoy App) to Help Young People Manage Suicidal Thoughts: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Randomized Controlled Trial

10.2196/23655 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. e23655
Author(s):  
Jin Han ◽  
Lauren McGillivray ◽  
Quincy JJ Wong ◽  
Aliza Werner-Seidler ◽  
Iana Wong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Young People ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Suicidal Thoughts ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Self Help ◽  
Mental Well Being

Background Self-help smartphone apps offer a new opportunity to address youth suicide prevention by improving access to support and by providing potentially high fidelity and cost-effective treatment. However, there have been very few smartphone apps providing evidence-based support for suicide prevention in this population. To address this gap, we developed the LifeBuoy app, a self-help smartphone app informed by dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), to help young people manage suicidal thoughts in their daily life. Objective This study describes the protocol for a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of the LifeBuoy app for reducing suicidal thoughts and behaviors, depression, anxiety, and psychological distress, and improving general mental well-being in young adults aged 18 to 25 years. Methods This is a randomized controlled trial recruiting 378 young adults aged between 18 and 25 years and comparing the LifeBuoy app with a matched attention control (a placebo app with the same display but no DBT components). The primary outcome is suicidal thoughts measured by the Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS). The secondary outcomes are suicidal behavior, depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and general mental well-being. The changes in the levels of insomnia, rumination, suicide cognitions, distress tolerance, loneliness, and help seeking before and after using the app are evaluated in this study. The study also addresses risk factors and responses to the intervention. A series of items assessing COVID-19 experiences is included in the trial to capture the potential impact of the pandemic on this study. Assessments will occur on the following three occasions: baseline, postintervention, and follow-up at 3 months postintervention. A qualitative interview about user experience with the LifeBuoy app will take place within 4 weeks of the final assessment. Using linear mixed models, the primary analysis will compare the changes in suicidal thoughts in the intervention condition relative to the control condition. To minimize risks, participants will receive a call from the team clinical psychologist by clicking a help button in the app or responding to an automated email sent by the system when they are assessed with elevated suicide risks at the baseline, postintervention, and 3-month follow-up surveys. Results The trial recruitment started in May 2020. Data collection is currently ongoing. Conclusions This is the first trial examining the efficacy of a DBT-informed smartphone app delivered to community-living young adults reporting suicidal thoughts. This trial will extend knowledge about the efficacy and acceptability of app-based support for suicidal thoughts in young people. Trial Registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12619001671156; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=378366. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/23655

scholarly journals A Mobile Health Intervention (LifeBuoy App) to Help Young People Manage Suicidal Thoughts: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Han ◽  
Lauren McGillivray ◽  
Quincy JJ Wong ◽  
Aliza Werner-Seidler ◽  
Iana Wong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Young People ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Suicidal Thoughts ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Self Help ◽  
Mental Well Being

BACKGROUND Self-help smartphone apps offer a new opportunity to address youth suicide prevention by improving access to support and by providing potentially high fidelity and cost-effective treatment. However, there have been very few smartphone apps providing evidence-based support for suicide prevention in this population. To address this gap, we developed the LifeBuoy app, a self-help smartphone app informed by dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), to help young people manage suicidal thoughts in their daily life. OBJECTIVE This study describes the protocol for a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of the LifeBuoy app for reducing suicidal thoughts and behaviors, depression, anxiety, and psychological distress, and improving general mental well-being in young adults aged 18 to 25 years. METHODS This is a randomized controlled trial recruiting 378 young adults aged between 18 and 25 years and comparing the LifeBuoy app with a matched attention control (a placebo app with the same display but no DBT components). The primary outcome is suicidal thoughts measured by the Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS). The secondary outcomes are suicidal behavior, depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and general mental well-being. The changes in the levels of insomnia, rumination, suicide cognitions, distress tolerance, loneliness, and help seeking before and after using the app are evaluated in this study. The study also addresses risk factors and responses to the intervention. A series of items assessing COVID-19 experiences is included in the trial to capture the potential impact of the pandemic on this study. Assessments will occur on the following three occasions: baseline, postintervention, and follow-up at 3 months postintervention. A qualitative interview about user experience with the LifeBuoy app will take place within 4 weeks of the final assessment. Using linear mixed models, the primary analysis will compare the changes in suicidal thoughts in the intervention condition relative to the control condition. To minimize risks, participants will receive a call from the team clinical psychologist by clicking a help button in the app or responding to an automated email sent by the system when they are assessed with elevated suicide risks at the baseline, postintervention, and 3-month follow-up surveys. RESULTS The trial recruitment started in May 2020. Data collection is currently ongoing. CONCLUSIONS This is the first trial examining the efficacy of a DBT-informed smartphone app delivered to community-living young adults reporting suicidal thoughts. This trial will extend knowledge about the efficacy and acceptability of app-based support for suicidal thoughts in young people. CLINICALTRIAL Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12619001671156; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=378366. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT PRR1-10.2196/23655

Efficacy and Impact of an mHealth Intervention to promote Mental Wellness for American Indian and Alaska Native Teens and Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the BRAVE Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Craig Rushing ◽  
Allyson Kelley ◽  
Sheana Bull ◽  
David Stephens ◽  
Julia Wrobel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Alaska Native ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Culturally Relevant ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Mental Wellness

BACKGROUND Culturally-relevant interventions are needed to help American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) teens and young adults navigate common risky situations involving family and friends, including drug and alcohol misuse, dating violence, and suicidality. We R Native – a multimedia health resource for Native teens and young adults – designed an intervention for Native youth, delivered via text message, that includes role model videos, mental wellness strategies, and links to culturally-relevant resources (hotlines, chat-lines, websites, etc.) and social support. OBJECTIVE This study aims to test the efficacy of BRAVE to improve participant’s physical, mental, and spiritual health, their use of mental wellness strategies, their help-seeking skills, and associated factors, including cultural resilience, identity, and cultural pride. METHODS The randomized controlled trial was carried out by the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board and the mHealth Impact Lab. The team recruited 2,334 AI/AN teens and young adults nationwide (15-24 years old) via social media channels and text message and enrolled 1,044 to participate. AI/AN teens and young adults enrolled in the study received either: 8 weeks of BRAVE text messages designed to improve mental health, help-seeking skills, and cultural resilience; or 8 weeks of STEM text messages, designed to elevate and re-affirm Native voices in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine (STEM); and then received the other set of messages. Primary and secondary outcomes were tested using linear mixed-effect models and linear regressions. RESULTS A total of 833 AI/AN teens and young adults were included in the analysis. Individuals in the BRAVE and STEM arms showed significant positive trends over the course of the study for all primary outcomes except cultural identity and help seeking behavior. Mean scores were significantly different for health (P<.001), resilience (P<.001), negative coping (P=.027), positive coping (P<.001), self-efficacy (P=.021), and self-esteem (P<.001). Changes in help-seeking self-efficacy were significant for those exhibiting risky behavior at baseline to exit (P=.01). Those who reported positive coping scores at baseline also reported better health on average, but no difference in risky drug and alcohol use (P<.001). The number of participants that used text messages to help themselves increased from 69% at 3-months (427/618) to 75% at 8-months (381/501) (P<.001). Similarly, the number of participants that used text messages to help a friend or family member increased from 22% at 3-months (138/616) to 55% at 8-months (272/498). CONCLUSIONS This is the first nationwide randomized controlled trial for AI/AN teens and young adults to test the efficacy of an mHealth intervention on mental wellness. The findings suggest that culturally-relevant multimedia, mHealth interventions can improve help-seeking behavior. Lessons learned from this study may help other AI/AN-serving organizations, prevention programs, policymakers, researchers, and educators as they support the next generation of AI/AN change-makers.

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