This goal of this randomized control trial is to test whether a web application that provides sexual and gender minority youth ages 13-19 (N=200) with tools for affirming their identities and coping with minority stress can affect key psychosocial outcomes, such as coping self-efficacy and symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
270
The intervention has four main content areas: 1) gender identity (the gender guide), 2) sexual orientation (the queerness guide), 3)stress and coping (the stress guide), and 4) internalized stigma (the internalized stigma guide).
The control will have access to resources on the website, but will not receive any engagement reminders, matching the conditions present in real world contexts in which web-based resource lists are available.
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Coping Self-efficacy
The Stress Appraisals Measure for Adolescents includes three subscales (Challenge subscale; Threat subscale; Resources subscale). Each of these subscales is answered on a 5-point scale (1=strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree). A mean score was computed for each subscale, with higher values indicating greater endorsement of each respective stress appraisal.
Time frame: 4-week follow-up
Identity Affirmation
The Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Positive Identity Measure-Authenticity Subscale has a scoring range from 1 to 7 (1=strongly disagree to 7=strongly agree). A mean score was computed, whereby greater values indicate greater feelings of authenticity.
Time frame: 4-week follow-up
Internalization of Minority Stress
The Coping with Discrimination Scale- Internalization Subscale has a scoring range from 1 to 6 (1=never to 6=always). We computed a mean score, where higher scores indicate greater internalization of blame for minority stress
Time frame: 4-week follow-up
Sense of Belonging to the Queer Community
The Thwarted Belongingness subscale of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire is a 5-item scale that is answered on a 7-point scale (1=not at all true" to 7=very true for me). We computed a sum score ranging from 5 to 35, where higher scores indicate a lack of sense of belonging
Time frame: 4-week follow-up
Anxiety Symptoms
The General Anxiety Disorder-7 scale has a range from 0 to 21. Scores were computed by summing the items. Higher scores indicate greater anxiety symptomatology.
Time frame: 4-week follow-up
Depression Symptoms
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The Patient Health Questionnaire-8 inventory has a range from 0 to 24. A summed score was computed, where higher scores indicate greater depression symptomatology.
Time frame: 4-week follow-up
Cognitive and Behavioral Coping Skills
The Brief COPE inventory is comprised of 11 subscales: Self-distraction; Active coping; Emotional support; Instrumental support; Venting; Positive reframing; Planning; Acceptance; Self-blame; Substance use; and, Behavioral disengagement. Participants answered each subscale using a 4-point scale (1="I haven't been doing this at all" to 4="I've been doing this a lot"). A mean score was computed for each subscale, with higher values indicating greater use of that coping skill.
Time frame: 4-week follow-up