TODAY! A Mobile App Study (TODAY!)

March 2, 2023 updated by: Diane Chen, Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Mobile Phone and Internet-Based Intervention for Vulnerable Youth

The aim of this study is to conduct a small randomized controlled trial (RCT) for a 10-week mobile phone intervention using principles of Cognitive Behavior Therapy to target general and minority stressors and treat anxiety and depression in young men romantically/sexually attracted to men.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Investigators will conduct a double-arm RCT to develop the infrastructure and collection of data needed to power a larger RCT (e.g., rates of consent, retention rates). Clinical outcomes will be assessed for the purpose of detecting unexpected deterioration. Investigators will also collect usability feedback regarding the intervention which may be used to refine the treatment. Usage data will be used to identify under-used lessons and tools and improve their usefulness/appeal. Compliance with assessments will be monitored and used to improve retention protocols.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
22

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Illinois
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60614
        • Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years to 24 years (Child, Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Were assigned male at birth and identify as a man
  2. Report romantic/sexual attraction to men;
  3. Ages 14-24 years;
  4. Resides in the Chicago metro area (i.e., Chicago or suburbs of Cook County)
  5. Presents with clinically significant depressive or anxiety symptoms, per a 10+ on the PHQ-9 or 5+ on the GAD-7
  6. Currently owns a mobile phone that is compatible with the intervention application, and believes they will be able to keep using this mobile phone for the next 10 weeks
  7. Fluent in English.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Has visual, hearing, voice, or motor impairment that would prevent completion of study procedures or use of the Internet or mobile phone.
  2. Per self-reported history or the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) 7 (Adult version for participants ages 17-24 years and Kid version for ages 14-16 years), has ever been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder, or is currently diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, or has been diagnosed in the past two years with posttraumatic stress disorder, dissociative disorder, or eating disorder; or evidences another condition that indicates this intervention may be insufficient to meet the youth's needs. If substance abuse disorder is currently present, PI or designated individual will use clinical judgement to determine whether severity/impairment related to substance use indicates this intervention may be insufficient to meet the youth's needs.
  3. Has been hospitalized for psychiatric reasons or has attempted suicide in the last year, or has a score of 4 or more (i.e., "high" to "severe" suicidality) on the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale, or reports non-suicidal self-injury of a nature that suggests this intervention may be insufficient to meet the youth's needs.
  4. Is concurrently participating in another behavioral intervention research study
  5. Reports currently being in DCFS custody and under 21.
  6. Reports currently being in psychotherapy.
  7. Initiation, discontinuation, or adjustment of antidepressant medication in the past 4 weeks. Individuals excluded solely for this reason will be allowed to retake the baseline assessments (and be compensated accordingly) to determine eligibility after they have been on a stable antidepressant regimen for 4 weeks, if the study is still enrolling at that time.
  8. Less than an 8th grade reading level.
  9. Does not have an email address and does not obtain one within 1 week of the telephone screening.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: TODAY! App and Coaching
RCT participants will be randomized into a 10-week intervention condition during which they will receive the CBT modules through the TODAY! app. In addition to the mobile app, participants will receive coaching from the study Coach who is trained in Motivational Interviewing principles. Participants will complete mood and behavior assessments at 4 time-points over the course of 22 weeks.
Behavioral: TODAY! App and Coaching
The TODAY! app uses the skill building structure of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). The intervention will be divided into "modules," each devoted to a particular skill. Skills addressed within the intervention include increasing social support, engaging in goal-driven behaviors and reducing mood-driven (i.e., avoidance) behaviors, seeking out positive activities, replacing cognitive distortions with more adaptive thinking styles, improving problem-solving skills, reducing avoidance patterns, and increasing alternate coping strategies. The intervention will be supplemented with brief human contact in the form of a motivational coach. The Coach will be trained on the Motivational Interviewing principles upon which the coaching protocol is based.
No Intervention: Referrals
RCT participants will be randomized into a 10-week wait-list control condition and will be provided with and encouraged to use mental health and lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer (LGBQ) referrals and resources in the community. Participants will complete mood and behavior assessments at 4 time-points over the course of 22 weeks. After the 22-week post intervention follow-up, control group participants will have the option to receive the intervention, however they will not be administered follow-up assessments or given coaching.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) 9-items
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 5 weeks, 10 weeks and 22 weeks
The PHQ-9 is a brief validated depression module. This study will measure change in PHQ-9 scores.
Assessed at baseline, 5 weeks, 10 weeks and 22 weeks
Change in Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) 7-item Questionnaire
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 5 weeks, 10 weeks and 22 weeks
The GAD-7 is a brief measure assessing anxiety. This study will measure change in GAD-7 scores.
Assessed at baseline, 5 weeks, 10 weeks and 22 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Usability feedback
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, 5 weeks, 10 weeks and 22 weeks. Data regarding usage will be generated on the back end
Usability feedback data will be qualitative, and it may be used to refine intervention components rather than formal analysis. Data entered by the participant into the mobile phone application may also be analyzed for utilization patterns and internal improvements.
Assessed at baseline, 5 weeks, 10 weeks and 22 weeks. Data regarding usage will be generated on the back end

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Diane Chen, Ph.D., Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's hospital of Chicago

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 4, 2018

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 30, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 30, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 4, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 21, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 23, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 3, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 2, 2023

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2018-1540

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Determination made by PI on a case by case basis

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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