The purpose of this pilot study is to refine and then assess the feasibility, acceptability, and target engagement of Acute Youth Connect - a network health intervention for adolescents leaving acute psychiatric care with suicide-related concerns.
This pilot study includes only one arm of subjects, all of whom will receive Acute Youth Connect, in addition to treatment as usual. The Acute Youth Connect treatment protocol lasts for 12 weeks following discharge, for a total intervention period of roughly 13 weeks including pre-discharge consent and nomination of supports. Patients will be assessed at baseline, mid-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 12 weeks following the scheduled intervention completion. Feedback from the first 5-10 patients will be used to modify the treatment protocol to improve patient acceptability. All remaining patients will receive this refined treatment protocol. At the time of registration, the Acute Youth Connect treatment protocol is as follows. Adolescents in acute psychiatric care (partial hospitalization) will be screened for eligibility approximately one week before discharge. After patient assent and parental consent are received, the patient and a parent/caregiver will together nominate 3-4 trusted adults in the patient's life to serve as a post-discharge support team. The nominees will then be contacted, consented, and receive a 45-90 minute training on how to provide social support to the patient. Each adult support will also receive weekly (3-15 minute) check in calls from study staff to monitor progress and resolve any concerns related to the patient's progress. In addition, each patient will attend 3 interactive sessions with a study interventionist, and will be encouraged to bring an adult from their support team to participate as well. These sessions will be evenly spaced throughout the post-discharge intervention period. Adolescents will receive weekly reflection-prompting text messages to practice skills taught in the interactive sessions.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
19
This intervention is being piloted will be revised with feedback from the first 5-10 patients who complete it. At the time of registration, the protocol is as follows: Roughly one week prior to discharge, the patient and a parent/caregiver will together nominate 3-4 trusted adults in the patient's life to serve as their post-discharge support team. Consenting nominees will then attend a 45-90 minute training on how to provide social support to the patient. Each adult support will also receive weekly (3-15 minute) check in calls from study staff to monitor progress and concerns. Each patient will also attend 3 interactive sessions with a study interventionist, and will be encouraged to bring an adult from their support team. These sessions will be evenly spaced throughout the post-discharge intervention period. Adolescents will receive weekly reflection-prompting text messages to practice skills taught in the interactive sessions.
University of Rochester Medical Center
Rochester, New York, United States
Number of youth who complete the intervention
Youth subjects who complete all three interactive sessions will be marked as "treatment completers."
Time frame: Interactive sessions by the end of the 12-week intervention.
Text message responses
Text message prompts will be marked as "responded to" when a recipient produces at least one reply.
Time frame: A text message must be responded to before the next text message prompt is sent (roughly one week).
Adult support team treatment completion
Adult support team members who complete their initial psychoeducation training session and complete 75% of their check-in phone calls will be marked as "treatment completers".
Time frame: Psychoeducation sessions must be completed before week 4 after youth's discharge. Check-in calls must be completed in seperatecalendar weeks, all before the end of the 12-week intervention.
Change in weekly contact to supportive adults in their lives
Youth subjects will report a change in the average weekly contact with the members of their adult support team, compared to reported baseline contact.
Time frame: Baseline to post-treatment, approximately 3 months
Change in weekly contact to supportive adults in their lives
Youth subjects will report a change in the average weekly contact with the members of their adult support team, compared to reported baseline contact.
Time frame: Baseline to 3 months post-treatment, approximately 6 months
Utilization of intervention content
Rate of adolescents reporting using at least two of the three Acute Youth Connect cores (connection, balance, purpose) weekly or more.
Time frame: Baseline to post-treatment, approximately 3 months
Utilization of intervention content
Rate of adolescents reporting using at least two of the three Acute Youth Connect cores (connection, balance, purpose) weekly or more.
Time frame: Baseline to 3 months post-treatment, approximately 6 months
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.