Black Youth M.A.T.T.E.R: Positive Youth Development Group Intervention (BYM)

January 10, 2019 updated by: Caitlin Sayegh, Children's Hospital Los Angeles

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Positive Youth Development Group

One in three Black boys born today in the United States will be incarcerated at some point in their lifetime, compared to one in 17 White boys. Black males are more likely to be arrested, convicted, and given unfair sentences. Black youth comprise of 16% of the Nation's public schools, but account for 32% of suspended students. For over 30 years, research has consistently highlighted the disproportionately severe disciplinary practices used with Black male students.Consistent research demonstrates that students who are suspended or expelled tend to drop out of school and/or become incarcerated in a juvenile detention center. Black students may relate their racial-ethnic identity, such as their understanding of their race and ethnicity, to academic success. Moreover, their attitudes may result from the expectation of their teachers. It is imperative that advocates devoted to positive youth development intervene to this issue negatively affecting the well-being of Black youth. Under the mentorship of Caitlin Sayegh, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow Tierra Ellis, Ph.D., has developed a 9-session group intervention called Black Youth M.A.T.T.E.R. (BYM), which aims to debunk mental health stigma, help children shift their cognitive distortions about education, and normalize their experiences through group activities, while introducing them to advocacy and self-empowerment. This intervention may decrease mental health symptoms, increase motivation to approach goal-oriented outcomes, and reverse internalized beliefs and attitudes which may foster more positive perceptions related to school.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

The proposed study is a randomized control trial mixed-methods pilot study of BYM. We aim to finalize the intervention protocol, assess feasibility and acceptability of the intervention, and evaluate the potential impact of BYM on pilot participants. The mixed-methods research design approach will be used within a single study for the collection, analyzing, and merging of qualitative and quantitative data. The purpose of a convergent parallel mixed methods research design is to simultaneously collect qualitative and quantitative data for a more comprehensive analysis.

Research Questions: (1) What do Black adolescents and other community stakeholders perceive as the most effective approaches for the BYM project? (2) What are BYM participants' perceptions of the intervention? (3) Is there a decrease in mental health symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety, trauma) for BYM participants? (3) Is there an increase in resiliency for BYM participants? (4) Is there an increase in positive attitudes toward seeking mental health treatment for BYM participants? (5) Is there a difference in motivation to approach goal-oriented outcomes for BYM participants? (6) Is there an increase in perceived positive self-concept for BYM participants? (7) Is there a decrease in risk behaviors for BYM participants? Intervention Description: The session topics are as follows: (1) Debunking the Stigma of Mental Health in the Black Community, (2) School to Prison Pipeline, (3) Achievement Gap, (4) Cultural Barrier that Black Students Experience with Teachers, (5) Trauma 101, (6) Trauma 102, (7) Actions of Today, Blueprints for Tomorrow: Youth Organizing to Transform Education film, (8) My Voice Will Be Heard (Part I), and (9) My Voice Will Be Heard (Part II). The intervention will be conducted in 2-hour weekly group sessions.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

20

Phase

  • Early Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

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

Ages Eligible for Study

15 years to 25 years (Child, Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Black adolescents attending Youth Justice Coalition Free LA High School who have been suspended or expelled from their respective schools due to behavioral problems

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Active psychosis or suicidal ideation

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: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Black Youth M.A.T.T.E.R.
The session topics are as follows: (1) Debunking the Stigma of Mental Health in the Black Community, (2) School to Prison Pipeline, (3) Achievement Gap, (4) Cultural Barrier that Black Students Experience with Teachers, (5) Trauma 101, (6) Trauma 102, (7) Actions of Today, Blueprints for Tomorrow: Youth Organizing to Transform Education film, (8) My Voice Will Be Heard (Part I), and (9) My Voice Will Be Heard (Part II). The intervention will be conducted in 2-hour weekly group sessions.
This is a group psychoeducational and positive youth development intervention for students who have been expelled from school and are now enrolled in a specialized school at Youth Justice Coalition.
No Intervention: Usual Care
All participants already participate in Youth Justice Coalition's Free LA High School. Those in control condition will participate in educational activities as usual.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms
Time Frame: 61 weeks
Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale. The T-score related to Total Anxiety and Depression score will be examined (ranging from 26 to >80). Higher scores indicate increased depression and anxiety symptoms.
61 weeks
Change in trauma symptoms
Time Frame: 61 weeks
Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children: Examining Posttraumatic Stress T-score (ranging from 26 to >80), where higher scores indicated greater PTSD symptoms.
61 weeks
Change in Youth Reporting Substance Use
Time Frame: 61 weeks
Youth Risk Behavior Survey. We will examine dichotomous use of tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and other drugs
61 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Resiliency
Time Frame: 61 weeks
Resiliency Scale; range from 0 to 14 with higher scores representing more resiliency
61 weeks
Change in Levels of Help-Seeking
Time Frame: 61 weeks
Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Help; scores range from 0 to 30 with higher scores indicated more positive views of help-seeking
61 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

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

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 (Anticipated)

April 1, 2019

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

February 1, 2020

Study Completion (Anticipated)

August 1, 2020

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 9, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 10, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

January 15, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

January 15, 2019

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 10, 2019

Last Verified

January 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • APP-18-07635

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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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