None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This mixed methods RCT of telehealth PEERS® for teens aims to test the effectiveness, acceptability and feasibility of a telehealth group delivered Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) for high-school aged teenagers aged 11–17 years with acquired brain injury (ABI) or cerebral palsy (CP). In this pilot randomised controlled trial, we will recruit 32 teenagers with brain injuries and their caregiver across Queensland and randomise them to receive telehealth PEERS® or be waitlisted for 6 months. Telehealth PEERS® for teens will be run for groups of 8 youths and their caregivers. Four groups will be run over a two-year period in order to deliver the program to the immediate groups and control groups after the waitlist period. Outcomes will be measured before the intervention, after the telehealth PEERS® for teens program, and then 3 months later (6 months post baseline) and 9 months later (12 months post baseline). Focus groups using semi-structured interviews will be conducted separately with teens and caregivers at the end of the program to explore experiences of participation in telehealth PEERS® for teens. Compared to care as usual, adolescents receiving PEERS® will achieve significantly greater gains in: (i) self-perceived performance of social participation goals immediately post intervention (14 weeks) on the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) of 2 points or greater.
Interventions
This mixed methods RCT of telehealth PEERS® for teens is a telehealth group delivered Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) for high-school aged teenagers aged 11–17 years with acquired brain injury (ABI) or cerebral palsy (CP). A concurrent parent group is also run in a different telehealth group. Telehealth PEERS® for teens will be run for groups of 8 youths and their caregivers. Four groups will be run over a two-year period in order to deliver the program to
This mixed methods RCT of telehealth PEERS® for teens is a telehealth group delivered Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) for high-school aged teenagers aged 11–17 years with acquired brain injury (ABI) or cerebral palsy (CP). A concurrent parent group is also run in a different telehealth group. Telehealth PEERS® for teens will be run for groups of 8 youths and their caregivers. Four groups will be run over a two-year period in order to deliver the program to the immediate groups and control groups after the waitlist period. The program uses small online group format of 8 teenagers. It comprises didactic instruction, parent-assistance (social coaching), role playing and modelling, perspective taking questions, behavioural rehearsal, social coaching and invivo homework assignments. 1. Youth telehealth component: - 14 weekly sessions of 90 minute duration (45 minutes PEERS, 15 minutes break, 30 minutes PEERS). -content includes - entering and exiting conversations, use of electronic communication and social media, conversational skills, appropriate use of humour, organising get-togethers, sportsmanship, handling disagreements, teasing and bullying. - three 1-hour telehealth individual dyad sessions (at commencement, midway and end of the 14-week program) to problem solve and provide support towards each participants’ goals achievement. - no specified time for homework completion - will be dependent on each participant -up to 8 teens per group - 2 therapists will lead each group session for teens (IE. Occupational Therapists ((OTs) or a combination of OT/Speech Pathologist (SP)) - A research assistant will monitor fidelity and complete weekly fidelity checklists developed specifically for the PEERS® program. Prior to each session, therapists and social coaches will have a short telehealth meeting to discuss the session outline, content and roles in the groups will be discussed. 2. Parent groups component: includes review of homework tasks and facilitated problem-solving to coach their adolescent in social situations. - the parent group will run for 1 hour, in order to allow parents time to support their child to set up and join the teen group -three 1-hour telehealth individual dyad sessions (at commencement, midway and end of the 14-week program) to problem solve and provide support towards each participants’ goals achievement. -up to 8 parents per group -2 therapists will lead each group session for parents (IE. OTs or a combination of OT/Social Worker (SW)) A research assistant will monitor fidelity and complete weekly fidelity checklists developed specifically for the PEERS® program. Prior to each session, therapists and social coaches will have a short telehealth meeting to discuss the session outline, content and roles in the groups will be discussed. 3. Focus groups component: Phase 2: Qualitative study: semi-structured interviews will be conducted by a researcher not involved in the delivery of the intervention separately to participants and caregivers to explore perceived acceptability, feasibility and benefit of the PEERS® program. Interviews will be audiotaped and transcribed. Transcripts will be thematically coded using Leximancer software. All participants (teens and caregivers) in the trial will be invited to participate in the focus groups.
Sponsors
The University of Queensland
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
11 Years to 17 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Adolescents will be included if: • they have a diagnosis of CP or ABI (at least 6 months post ABI); • their caregiver reports they have difficulties with social competency; • are motivated to develop friendships; • attend mainstream high school; • are between 11-17 years of age; • have a verbal IQ > 70 measured on the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence 2nd Edition (WASI-II); • they and their caregiver have basic proficiency in English; • they and their caregiver are able to commit to the pre and post assessments, 14 weekly sessions AND complete homework tasks; • their caregiver return the intake forms within the time frame suggested.
Exclusion criteria
The exclusion criteria of this study were developed to accommodate all participants in a safe and ethical manner. Youth will be excluded if: they have uncontrolled epilepsy; severe visual or auditory impairment or are non-verbal.
Outcome results
None listed