BrotherlyACT: A Tech-Enhanced Violence and Substance Use Intervention for Black Boys and Young Men

NCT06359990 | Active Not Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: RushUMCEmezue
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 300
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study will adapt and test a culturally tailored, multi-component, and trauma-focused digital intervention to reduce the risk and effects of youth violence and substance use and bridge service access gaps for young Black males (YBM) in pediatric emergency and community-based low-resource settings.

Conditions

Violence in Adolescence; Substance Use; Avoidance of Healthcare

Keywords

Youth violence; Substance use; Experiential avoidance; African American; Youth; Males; mHealth

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

• The Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ)

  Change in the perpetration of youth and peer aggression from baseline to follow-up measured with the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ; Raine et al., 2006) measures two dimensions of aggression in physical or verbal forms. Scores (0, 1, or 2) for proactive aggression items (2,4,6,9,10,12,15, 17,18,20,21,23) and reactive items (1, 3, 5,7,8,11, 13,14, 16,19,22) are summated to form proactive and reactive scales. Proactive and reactive scale scores are summated to obtain total aggression scores. Higher scores obtained from the scale indicate higher levels of aggression.

  Baseline, 1-, and 3-months post-intervention

• Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale (MPVS)

  Change in youth and peer violence victimization from baseline to follow-up measured with the Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale (MPVS; Mynard \& Joseph, 2000). The MPVS is a 16-item self-report instrument that contains four subscales: physical victimization, verbal victimization, social manipulation, and attacks on property. Each item is scored on a three-point Likert scale, with participants indicating how often they had experienced each of the 16 victimization experiences in the past year. Total victimization scores range from 0 to 32, with subscale scores ranging from 0 to 8. Higher scores indicate that a youth has been subjected to more incidents of peer victimization.

  Baseline, 1-, and 3-months post-intervention

• The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)

  The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) focuses on drinking patterns and alcohol-related behaviors. Research supports the use of the AUDIT for adolescents ages 14 to 18, with cut points of 2 for identifying any alcohol problem use and 3 for alcohol misuse or dependence (Knight et al., 2003). WHO recommends a total AUDIT score of ≥8 as an indicator of hazardous and harmful alcohol use, as well as possible alcohol dependence (Thomas F Babor \& Robaina, 2016).

  Baseline, 1-, and 3-months post-intervention

• Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT)

  Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) is an 11-item tool that is similar to the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), as the DUDIT focuses specifically on drug use and consists of a series of questions designed to evaluate different aspects of drug use behavior and related consequences. As with the AUDIT, items 1 to 9 are scored on a 0 to 4 scale, with the final two questions scored 0, 2, 4. The maximum score is 44. Scoring guidelines suggest that a score of 6 or more among men and 2 or more among women may be indicative of drug-use-related problems. A score of 25 points or more, regardless of sex, strongly indicates dependence.

  Baseline, 1-, and 3-months post-intervention

• Change in Attitude toward Substance Use

  Increased awareness of normative beliefs and consequences related to substance use as measured by the Adolescent Attitudes Questionnaire

  Baseline, 1-, and 3-months post-intervention

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Emotional Avoidance Strategy Inventory for Adolescents (EASI-A)

  Baseline, 1-, and 3-months post-intervention

• The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10)

  Baseline, 1-, and 3-months post-intervention

• The University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale (URICA)

  Baseline, 1-, and 3-months post-intervention

• Intensity-of-Care Measurements

  3-months post-intervention

• Violent Intentions-Teen Conflict Survey

  Baseline, 1-, and 3-months post-intervention

Study Arms (2)

BrotherlyACT Intervention Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Three components make up BrotherlyACT: 1) Brief psychoeducational modules adapted from an evidence-based violence prevention program; 2) A Safety Planning Toolkit offering tools for risk assessment, mood tracking, goal setting, and mindfulness-based stress reduction; 3) A Service Engagement Chatbot that uses NLP to provide zip-code based navigational support and talk therapy.

Behavioral: BrotherlyACT

Waitlist Control Group (WCG)

OTHER

Waitlist Control Group (WCG)

Other: BrotherlyACT Waitlist Control Group (WCG)

Interventions

BrotherlyACT BEHAVIORAL

BrotherlyACT is a digital intervention to prevent youth violence and substance use among trauma-exposed young Black males, ages 125-24. This intervention combines life skills coaching, safety planning tools, and an AI-driven chatbot to reduce the risk and effects of violence and early substance use.

BrotherlyACT Intervention Group

BrotherlyACT Waitlist Control Group (WCG) OTHER

During the waiting period, participants in the control group do not receive the BrotherlyACT intervention but may continue with their usual activities or interventions.

Waitlist Control Group (WCG)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 15 Years - 24 Years
• Gender Eligibility Details: Males
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Assault-injured youth without impairments (e.g., unstable injuries),
• Male-identifying, irrespective of sexual orientation;
• Black/African American hospitalized for injury;
• Ages 15 to 24 years (inclusive);
• English literate at a 5th-grade reading level or higher;
• Able to assent/consent and provide parental consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Currently detained in the criminal justice system,
• Unable to complete assent/consent forms and assessments due to language barriers, cognitive dysfunction or injury, active psychotic disorder, suicide attempt as the mechanism of injury, and/or current treatment for depression or PTSD,
• Those presenting with a chief complaint of acute sexual assault, suicidal ideation or attempt, or child maltreatment will be excluded as they already receive other ED services.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Rush University Medical Center: lead

Study Sites (1)

Rush University Medical Center

Chicago, Illinois, 60612, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Emezue C, Karnik NS, Reeder B, Schoeny M, Layfield R, Zarling A, Julion W. A Technology-Enhanced Intervention for Violence and Substance Use Prevention Among Young Black Men: Protocol for Adaptation and Pilot Testing. JMIR Res Protoc. 2023 May 1;12:e43842. doi: 10.2196/43842.

  PMID: 37126388 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• Enrolment Page

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Substance-Related Disorders; Treatment Refusal

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Chemically-Induced Disorders; Mental Disorders; Treatment Adherence and Compliance; Health Behavior; Behavior

Study Officials

• Chuka N Emezue, PhD, MPH

  Rush University Medical Center

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 1, 2024
• First Posted: April 11, 2024
• Study Start: February 15, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): February 15, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): February 15, 2027
• Last Updated: April 29, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP
• Time Frame: As determined by funders.
• Access Criteria: As described above.

Locations

US (1)