BRAVE Study: Designing and Evaluating Technologies to Promote Adolescent Mental Health

NCT04979481 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 1384639
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,030
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The BRAVE study is a randomized controlled trial carried out by the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board and the mHealth Impact Lab. The team recruited 2,330 AI/AN teens and young adults nationwide (15-24 years old) via social media channels and text message and enrolled 1,030 to participate in the 9-month study. 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 promote cultural pride and resilience; or 8 weeks of Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) text messages, designed to elevate and re-affirm Native voices in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine; and then received the other set of messages. Retention in the study was high, with 87% of participants completing both BRAVE and STEM intervention arms.

Conditions

Mental Health Wellness 1

Keywords

adolescent

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Health

  Changes in mean scores of perceived mental, physical, and spiritual health

  Up to 8 months

• Resilience

  Proportion of respondents that report higher mean scores on resilience

  Up to 8 months

• Positive Coping

  Proportion of respondents that report higher mean scores of coping skills

  Up to 8 months

• Self-esteem

  Proportion of respondents who report higher mean scores of self-satisfaction, having good qualities, pride, self-worth, and self-respect

  Up to 8 months

Study Arms (2)

BRAVE Intervention Arm

EXPERIMENTAL

The BRAVE campaign included 3-5 text messages per week, including 1 role model video per week and a related image.

Behavioral: BRAVE

STEM Control Arm

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The STEM campaign included 3-5 text messages per week for 8 weeks, including 1 role model video per week and a related image.

Behavioral: STEM

Interventions

BRAVE BEHAVIORAL

The BRAVE campaign included 3-5 text messages per week for 8 weeks, including 1 role model video per week and a related image. The role model videos (1-3 minutes each) featured relatable characters experiencing and addressing violent behavior, alcohol misuse, and suicidality (through the eyes of a perpetrator, an intimate partner violence survivor, and a peer bystander), intended to demonstrated important coping and help-seeking skills.

BRAVE Intervention Arm

STEM BEHAVIORAL

The STEM campaign included 3-5 text messages per week for 8 weeks, including 1 role model video per week and a related image. The series promoted STEM career pathways and highlighted Native professionals in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medical careers.

STEM Control Arm

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 15 Years - 24 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• The study included self-identified American Indian and Alaska Native youth
• Age 15-24 years old

You may not qualify if:

• Participants were required to have a cell phone with text message capabilities

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board: lead
• mHealth Impact Lab: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

NPAIHB

Portland, Oregon, 97021, United States

Location

Related Publications (4)

• Craig Rushing S, Kelley A, Hafner S, Stephens D, Singer M, Bingham D, Caughlan C, Fatupaito B, Gaston A, Ghost Dog T, Smith P, Love Brown D, McCray C. The BRAVE Study: Formative Research to Design a Multimedia Intervention for American Indian and Alaska Native Young Adults. Am Indian Alsk Native Ment Health Res. 2021;28(1):71-102. doi: 10.5820/aian.2801.2021.71.

  PMID: 33844480 BACKGROUND

• Stephens D, Peterson R, Singer M, Johnson J, Rushing SC, Kelley A. Recruiting and Engaging American Indian and Alaska Native Teens and Young Adults in a SMS Help-Seeking Intervention: Lessons Learned from the BRAVE Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Dec 16;17(24):9437. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17249437.

  PMID: 33339260 RESULT

• Wrobel J, Silvasstar J, Peterson R, Sumbundu K, Kelley A, Stephens D, Craig Rushing S, Bull S. Text Messaging Intervention for Mental Wellness in American Indian and Alaska Native Teens and Young Adults (BRAVE Study): Analysis of User Engagement Patterns. JMIR Form Res. 2022 Feb 25;6(2):e32138. doi: 10.2196/32138.

  PMID: 35212633 DERIVED

• Craig Rushing S, Kelley A, Bull S, Stephens D, Wrobel J, Silvasstar J, Peterson R, Begay C, Ghost Dog T, McCray C, Love Brown D, Thomas M, Caughlan C, Singer M, Smith P, Sumbundu K. Efficacy of an mHealth Intervention (BRAVE) to Promote Mental Wellness for American Indian and Alaska Native Teenagers and Young Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Ment Health. 2021 Sep 15;8(9):e26158. doi: 10.2196/26158.

  PMID: 34524092 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Transmission

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Microscopy, Electron; Microscopy; Diagnostic Imaging; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis; Investigative Techniques

Study Officials

• Stephanie Craig Rushing, PhD

  Principal Investigator

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Project Director

Model Details: Teens and young adults enrolled in the study received either: 8 weeks of BRAVE text messages or 8 weeks of STEM text messages; and then crossed over to the other arm and received the next set of messages.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 14, 2021
• First Posted: July 28, 2021
• Study Start: August 23, 2019
• Primary Completion: August 31, 2020
• Study Completion: August 31, 2020
• Last Updated: September 8, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)