Behavioral Health
Conditions
Brief summary
This feasibility clinical trial aims to assess the feasibility of implementing a 1-month app-based meditation program with youth in the juvenile legal system. The primary questions it is designed to answer are: 1. Will youth adequately adhere to the 1-month meditation app? 2. Is it feasible to collect data remotely from youth on their self-reported cannabis use, sexual health, and mental health at baseline, 1, and 6 months?
Detailed description
The investigators aim enroll 100 youth in Cook County, IL 13-18 years old who report regular access to an Apple or Android smartphone. Following completion of a baseline questionnaire, participants will be individually randomized at a 1:1 ratio to 1 of 2 smartphone app conditions: (1) Bodhi AIM (Action In Mindfulness), a 30-day meditation app or (2) HIB (Health In Balance), a health promotion control app matched to Bodhi AIM for time and structure. Follow-up assessments will occur at 1 and 6 months. All study activities will be remote.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALBodhi AIM (intervention group)
Bodhi AIM (Action In Mindfulness) is a smartphone-based app that teaches users to establish a daily meditation practice via a 30-day path, with each day consisting of a brief audio- or video-guided file. In addition to the 30 daily path files, users have access to a menu of to go audio-guided meditation practices that they may access any time to prepare for particular situations (e.g., attending a party).
BEHAVIORALHIB (control group)
HIB (Health In Balance) is a smartphone-based app that is matched to Bodhi AIM for time and structure, but includes health promotion content (e.g., educational information on substance use) in place of the meditation content featured in Bodhi AIM. Like Bodhi AIM, HIB includes a 30-day path of audio and video files, along with a menu of to go audio files that users may access any time to review key intervention concepts.
Sponsors
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
University of Illinois at Chicago
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
Both participants and outcome assessors will be blind to condition through completion of the baseline assessment. Condition will become apparent to both participants and assessors at the time of app download, but will not be revealed to assessors at either of the follow-up time points until after the quantitative measures are complete.
Intervention model description
Participants will be individually randomized at a 1:1 ratio to 1 of 2 smartphone app conditions: (1) Bodhi AIM (Action In Mindfulness), a 30-day meditation app, or (2) HIB (Health In Balance), a health promotion control app matched to Bodhi AIM for time and structure.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
13 Years to 18 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* 13-18 years old * In probation programming (i.e., in legal programming but not detained) in Cook County, IL * Have access to an Apple/Android smartphone * Understand and provide assent/consent * Have legal guardian permission (if under 18 years old) * English-speaking, due to norming of instruments
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| App adherence | 1 month | Days of objective app usage |
| Percentage of participants who complete the cannabis use measure at each time point | Baseline, 1 month, 6 months | Cannabis use is measured with the Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test-Revised |
| Percentage of participants who complete the sexual health measure at each time point | Baseline, 1 month, 6 months | Sexual health is measured with a modified version of the AIDS Risk Behavior Assessment |
| Percentage of participants who complete the mental health symptoms measure at each time point | Baseline, 1 month, 6 months | Mental health symptoms are measured with the Youth Self Report |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage of participants who complete other substance use measures at each time point | Baseline, 1 month, 6 months | The other substance use measures include the Young Adult Alcohol Problem Scale, the Alcohol Trouble Scale, the Hangover Symptoms Scale, and a modified Substance Use Self-Efficacy Scale |
| Percentage of participants who complete other mental health measures at each time point | Baseline, 1 month, 6 months | The other mental health measures include the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire, the Short-Form Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, the Negative Mood Regulation Scale, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10, and the Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire-15 |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage of participants who complete other outcome measures at each time point | Baseline, 1 month, 6 months | The other outcome measures include self-reported legal system involvement (e.g., frequencies of arrests and detainments), the UCLA PTSD Rating Index, and the Digital Working Alliance Inventory (measured at 1 month and 6 months only) |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed