Teen Helpline Motivational Interviewing Study

NCT07639736 | Recruiting DMC

• 2 other identifiers: IRB-24-0310K23MH137387
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 206
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The proposed study will establish a foundation for research within peer-delivered helplines for teens. It aims to evaluate the impact of a Motivational Interviewing training at peer-to-peer helpline. The study will leverage emerging technologies to surmount the challenges of providing tailored training to a large and diverse mental health workforce at scale. Aim 1: Adapt Motivational Interviewing (MI) strategies for use in a teen peer-delivered text-based digital helpline. Aim 2: Co-design performance feedback (PF) and facilitated practice (FP) processes to support MI adherence among peer helpers. Aim 3: Examine feasibility, acceptability, and initial outcomes in a pilot feasibility trial. Peer helpers (N=50) will be randomized to receive MI training or MI training + PF-FP.

Conditions

Implementation Research; Help Seeking

Keywords

Adolescent mental health; Implementation Science; Motivational Interviewing; Mental health helplines

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• General Help Seeking Questionnaire

  Measure of help seeking behavior. Minimum score = 10; Maximum score = 70. Higher scores indicate greater intentions or willingness to seek help.

  11 months (consent to post 6-month follow up)

• Patient Health Questionnaire-8

  Measure helpline user distress. Minimum score = 0; Maximum score = 24. Higher scores indicate greater depressive symptom severity.

  11 months (consent to post 6-month follow up)

Study Arms (2)

Performance feedback and facilitated practice

EXPERIMENTAL

Helpline volunteers randomized into this study arm will receive additional MI training through feedback and practice (they will receive standard helpline training and MI training).

Other: Motivational Interviewing Training

Training as usual

NO INTERVENTION

Helpline volunteers randomized into this study arm will not receive additional MI training through feedback or practice (they will receive standard helpline training only).

Interventions

Motivational Interviewing Training OTHER

All participants will receive Motivational Interviewing training through an educational workshop. Participants in the intervention arm will receive performance feedback and facilitated practice (implementation strategy). Those in the control arm will receive training as usual.

Performance feedback and facilitated practice

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 13 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Teen Helpers
• Current helpline peer helpers
• Aged 14-19 years.
• Provides assent and documented parental consent (when applicable).
• Completes study measures prior to the first Motivational Interviewing (MI) training session.
• Attends and completes assigned MI training activities.
• Has access to technology required for online participation (computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet access; videoconferencing capability if needed).
• Plans to continue helpline activities throughout the study period.
• Teen Users
• Aged 13-19 years.
• Current U.S. resident.
• Has engaged in at least 20 back-and-forth text exchanges with a helpline volunteer.
• Demonstrates active communication and engagement on the helpline platform.
• Has access to technology required to complete online surveys and, if selected, interviews (computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet access).

You may not qualify if:

• Teen Helpers
• \- Plans to discontinue helpline activities within the next 8 months.
• Teen Users
• Identified as currently experiencing acute suicide risk (i.e., assigned a "high-risk" flag by the helpline algorithm or identified as high risk by helpline staff).
• Requires immediate crisis intervention or emergency services that could be disrupted by participation in the research study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• San Diego State University: lead
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

San Diego State University

San Diego, California, 92182-8000, United States

RECRUITING

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 5, 2026
• First Posted: June 10, 2026
• Study Start: August 28, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 31, 2029
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 31, 2029
• Last Updated: June 25, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share

Locations

US (1)