Homeless Youth Study - Stepping Stone 2.0

NCT03776422 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 17072403
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 100
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Housing instability is both a cause and consequence of mental health problems. As such youth experiencing housing instability (e.g., homeless or marginally housed) have higher rates of mental health problems.Because of their circumstances, these youth also face significant barriers to mental health care and are therefore less likely to receive the treatment that they need. Mobile technology may offer a novel platform for increasing access to mental health care in this population. The primary goals of this pilot study are to (1) establish the feasibility and acceptability of delivering automated mental health interventions via smartphone technology, (2) examine the extent to which automated mental health interventions delivered via mobile technology improve mental health in homeless, marginally-housed, and exiting foster youth.

Conditions

Mental Health Issue (E.G., Depression, Psychosis, Personality Disorder, Substance Abuse)

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Program adherence

  Program adherence will be assessed based on usage data determining how often participants utilized the study applications, and how often they completed daily surveys and rated daily tips.

  Baseline to Endpoint (6 months)

• Program satisfaction

  Program satisfaction will be assessed using a self-report questionnaire that participants will be asked to complete at the midpoint and endpoint of the study. Participants will be asked to report the extent to which they benefited from the study, how helpful the mobile applications were, and if they would recommend the study to others. These responses are recorded on 5-point likert type scales with higher ratings indicating higher satisfaction.

  Midpoint (3 months) and Endpoint (6 months)

Secondary Outcomes (8)

• Anxiety symptoms

  Baseline (0 months), Midpoint (3 months), Endpoint (6 months)

• Depression symptoms

  Baseline (0 months), Midpoint (3 months), Endpoint (6 months)

• Alcohol use

  Baseline (0 months), Midpoint (3 months), Endpoint (6 months)

• Cannabis use

  Baseline (0 months), Midpoint (3 months), Endpoint (6 months)

• Risky sexual behavior

  Baseline (0 months), Midpoint (3 months), Endpoint (6 months)

Study Arms (1)

Mobile self-help intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

This study uses automated self-help interventions designed as a kit of smartphone tools.

Behavioral: Mobile self-help intervention

Interventions

Mobile self-help intervention BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive several apps on their phone including IntelliCare apps, which are based on principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Participants also receive the Pocket Helper app, which has been designed for this study. The tools within the Pocket Helper app include a crisis text line that is available 24/7, the Illinois Warm Line which is available Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm, directions to call 911 in the case of an emergency, the Koko web app that provides crowdsourced emotional support, brief cognitive-behavioral interventions, daily tips, and daily surveys. Phones will also include the StreetLight Chicago app, which provides homeless individuals with up-to-date information on shelters, health clinics, emergency contacts, mental health services, and more.

Mobile self-help intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 16 Years - 25 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• years
• English-speaking
• Youth must meet one of the following risk criteria
• Experiencing housing instability as defined by:
• lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence OR whose primary nighttime residence is a shelter, institution, or a "public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings"
• sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing \[or\] economic hardship.
• frequent moves, poor housing quality (e.g., living in severely overcrowded housing).
• Imminently leaving the foster care system
• Willingness and ability to comply with requirements of the study protocol

You may not qualify if:

• \* Inability to understand study procedures and participate in the informed consent process.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Rush University Medical Center: lead
• Illinois Department of Human Services: collaborator
• Sparrow Mobile: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Rush University Medical Center

Chicago, Illinois, 60612, United States

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Straka K, Blacketer AR, Martinez RL, Glover A, Winiarski DA, Karnik NS, Schueller SM, Zalta AK. Rates and correlates of well-being among youth experiencing homelessness. J Community Psychol. 2022 Sep;50(8):3746-3759. doi: 10.1002/jcop.22869. Epub 2022 Apr 23.

  PMID: 35460583 DERIVED

• Glover AC, Schueller SM, Winiarski DA, Smith DL, Karnik NS, Zalta AK. Automated Mobile Phone-Based Mental Health Resource for Homeless Youth: Pilot Study Assessing Feasibility and Acceptability. JMIR Ment Health. 2019 Oct 11;6(10):e15144. doi: 10.2196/15144.

  PMID: 31605516 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depression; Psychotic Disorders; Personality Disorders; Substance-Related Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders; Mental Disorders; Chemically-Induced Disorders

Study Officials

• Alyson K Zalta, PhD

  University of California, Irvine

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 12, 2018
• First Posted: December 14, 2018
• Study Start: December 21, 2017
• Primary Completion: July 8, 2019
• Study Completion: July 8, 2019
• Last Updated: September 27, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)