Testing a Measurement Feedback App to Improve Data Quality, Supervision & Outcomes in Behavioral Health
Footsteps
RCT of a Measurement Feedback App to Improve Data Quality, Supervision & Outcomes in Behavioral Health
2 other identifiers
interventional
200
1 country
1
Brief Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether a smartphone-based data collection and feedback application ("Footsteps") improves the quality of behavioral data collected by one-to-one aides and leads to better youth mental health outcomes in school-aged youth (ages 4-17) who receive one-to-one support in schools. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Use either Footsteps or a control app to record de-identified data on one client's behaviors and skills over 12 weeks
- Complete biweekly online surveys about data collection experiences, youth progress, and aide-supervisor communication
- Participate in a virtual intake and post-trial meeting
- (For a subset) Participate in a 30-45 minute qualitative interview about their experience using the app
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P75+ for not_applicable
Started Mar 2026
Typical duration for not_applicable
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
June 12, 2025
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
June 29, 2025
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
March 26, 2026
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
June 30, 2028
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
June 30, 2028
May 1, 2026
April 1, 2026
2.3 years
June 12, 2025
April 27, 2026
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (3)
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire total score
A behavioral screening tool used to assess psychological attributes in children and adolescents, leading to a total score of 0 to 40. A higher total score indicates greater difficulties in emotional and behavioral functioning, while lower scores suggest fewer difficulties.
Assessed monthly (Baseline; Weeks 4, 8, and 12)
Data collection consistency
an aggregate of the numbers of intervals scheduled, and the numbers of those intervals in which data was entered (% real time data)
Assessed throughout 12-week trial
Data collection timeliness
for intervals in which data was entered, the time lag between occurrence and data entry
Assessed throughout 12-week trial
Secondary Outcomes (2)
Data collection completeness
Assessed throughout 12-week trial
Youth Top Problems
Assessed biweekly, at baseline through 12-week trial
Other Outcomes (7)
Intentions for Implementors
Assessed biweekly, at baseline through 12-week trial
Attitudes for Implementors
Assessed biweekly, at baseline and through 12-week trial
Perceived Norms for Implementors
Assessed biweekly, at baseline through 12-week trial
- +4 more other outcomes
Study Arms (2)
Footsteps (Enhancements)
EXPERIMENTALAn electronic platform for data collection ("Footsteps") that contains additional features designed to increase motivation to collect data and ease of data collection.
Data Collection Only App (No Enhancements)
ACTIVE COMPARATORA basic electronic platform for data collection.
Interventions
Behavioral economics features designed to increase motivation to collect data and ease of data collection on the electronic platform.
Electronic platform to collect data
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Aides must be working with at least one client in school who meets the following criteria: 1) between 3-17 years, 2) has a diagnosis associated with a challenging behavior (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder) as indicated on their treatment plan, and 3) receiving 1:1 aide support.
- Supervisors must be employed by a community behavior health agency and supervise a participating aide. The investigators will recruit supervisors in dyads and not triads (i.e., no supervisors with two \[or more\] aides) to ensure there are 30 supervisor-aide dyads in total).
You may not qualify if:
- Aides who participated in the pilot trial of the Footsteps will be excluded from participating to recruit a sample naïve to Footsteps and the control app.
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (1)
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States
Related Publications (1)
Nuske HJ, Buck J, Ramesh B, Becker-Haimes EM, Zentgraf K, Mandell DS. Making Progress Monitoring Easier and More Motivating: Developing a Client Data Collection App Incorporating User-Centered Design and Behavioral Economics Insights. Soc Sci (Basel). 2022 Mar;11(3):106. doi: 10.3390/socsci11030106. Epub 2022 Mar 3.
PMID: 35496358BACKGROUND
Related Links
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Heather J Nuske, PhD
University of Pennsylvania
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
David Mandell, Sc.D.
University of Pennsylvania
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
June 12, 2025
First Posted
June 29, 2025
Study Start
March 26, 2026
Primary Completion (Estimated)
June 30, 2028
Study Completion (Estimated)
June 30, 2028
Last Updated
May 1, 2026
Record last verified: 2026-04