Pilot Evaluation of Digital Peer-Support Intervention for College Students

NCT07460635 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2000039773
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 102
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This pilot study aims to explore the feasibility, acceptability, usability, and preliminary efficacy of the Be There Certificate (BTC) program, a digital mental health literacy and peer support intervention among college students living in shared housing. This study addresses the growing need for scalable, skills-based mental health interventions that empower young adults to support one another in their everyday environments. In particular, the study seeks to understand whether students can complete and engage with the BTC content and how they apply these skills in real-life peer interactions. Through quantitative and qualitative methods, the study will examine changes in mental health knowledge, attitudes, and peer-support behaviors among students who complete the BTC program, and explore the lived experiences of those who provided and those who received support post-intervention

Conditions

Peer Support Interventions; Mental Health

Keywords

Peer support interventions; Peer-to-peer support

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Percentage of participants in the intervention group who complete the intervention- Feasibility

  Percentage of participants completing the program to assess the feasibility of the intervention.

  Immediate post-intervention, Day 1

• Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM)

  4 items from Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM) ranging from "completely disagree" to "completely agree", will be completed to access the acceptability and appropriateness of the intervention. It provides a score value from 1 to 5, where higher scores indicate higher acceptability.

  Immediate post-intervention, Day 1

• System Usability Scale (SUS)

  The System Usability Scale (SUS), 10 items ranging from "completely disagree" to "completely agree" will be completed to access the usability of the intervention. It provides a score from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate better usability.

  Immediate post-intervention, Day 1

Study Arms (2)

Online peer-support training

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the intervention group will complete the BTC program shortly after enrollment.

Behavioral: Be There Certificate

Waitlist control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in the waitlist control group will receive access to BTC after completing the final follow-up.

Interventions

Be There Certificate BEHAVIORAL

The Be There Certificate (BTC) program, developed by Jack.org and the Born This Way Foundation, aims to provide young people with structured, evidence-informed guidance on how to recognize signs of struggle, offer support, and connect peers to appropriate help.

Online peer-support training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 24 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at one of the two participating universities
• Live in shared housing (e.g., dormitory)
• Be able to read and understand English
• Be willing to provide informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• Has previously completed the program
• Is unable or unwilling to complete the study activities (e.g., online modules, surveys, or interviews)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Yale University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Yale School of Medicine

New Haven, Connecticut, 06510, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychological Well-Being

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personal Satisfaction; Behavior

Study Officials

• Kimberly Hieftje, PhD

  Yale University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, the Be There Certificate aims to promote the development of practical peer support skills through scenario-based exercises, interactive practice exercises, and reflection activities.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 3, 2026
• First Posted: March 10, 2026
• Study Start: September 16, 2025
• Primary Completion: November 26, 2025
• Study Completion: November 26, 2025
• Last Updated: May 7, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)