NCT03620682

Homeless Youth Study - Stepping Stone Project

Using Smartphone Technology to Provide Mental Health Interventions for Homeless Youth

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 35 (actual)
• Sponsor: Rush University Medical Center · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 23 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Homelessness is associated with a multitude of negative consequences including an increased risk for mental health problems. Once homeless, these individuals face significant barriers to mental health care and are therefore less likely to receive the treatment they need. Mobile technology may offer a novel platform for increasing access to mental health care in this population. Thus, the primary goals of this pilot study are to (1) establish the feasibility and acceptability of delivering a brief cognitive-behavioral intervention to homeless youth via smartphone technology, (2) examine the extent to which brief cognitive-behavioral interventions delivered via mobile technology improve mental health and trauma-related psychological symptoms in homeless youth, and (3) establish smartphone usage patterns among homeless youth to inform future interventions.

Conditions

• Mental Health

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Coaching sessions	Participants receive three 30-minute phone sessions with a doctorate-level therapist over the course of one month. These sessions are skills-based and focus on improving participants' problem solving through cognitive-behavioral techniques. Participants are allowed to text the therapist between sessions for information and support.
BEHAVIORAL	Mobile applications	Participants will have access to 3 mobile apps for the duration of the study, and after it ends. One app will push participants a daily, self-reflective survey to complete, and a daily motivational or instructional tip to rate. Other apps will provide education and exercises on various aspects of mental health and wellness, such as sleep and relaxation.

Timeline

• Start date: 2016-01-29
• Primary completion: 2017-12-11
• Completion: 2018-05-11
• First posted: 2018-08-08
• Last updated: 2018-08-08