The Substance Use and Health Risk Intervention (SUHRI) for Justice-involved Youth (SUHRI)

This investigation will adapt and pilot test an integrated health risk-reduction and motivational enhancement intervention for Juvenile Justice (JJ) youth that will ultimately be (after full testing through a subsequent large-scale RCT) a sustainable intervention implemented within a JJ supervision/case management context to teach and facilitate positive, pro-social, and expected behaviors. The intervention will use graphical approaches to encourage introspection and problem identification, enhance self-regulation, improve analytical problem-solving skills, and promote healthy behaviors in two inter-related target areas: substance use and risky sex practices. Existing evidence-based intervention materials will be incorporated and delivered through a web-based application. Sessions will be self-directed (require minimal instruction/interaction assistance), and also include a service referral piece whereby youth are provided with a list of treatment and health agencies at the end of sessions that address specific topics. Research activities will be carried out in two pilot studies: (1) Intervention Adaptation and Feasibility and (2) Protocol Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy Trial. In Pilot 1, intervention content will be adapted from existing evidence-based interventions so that it is developmentally appropriate for the target population and suitable for a web-based format (N = 30; 20 youth, 10 JJ staff). Pilot 2 will test a scaled-down version of an intervention efficacy trial, testing the web-based intervention using a 1-arm design whereby 60 enrolled youth (who meet eligibility requirements) from one juvenile probation department are enrolled to participate. This clinical trial submission, and the accompanying IRB protocol are based on pilot 2 only.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Substance Use Disorders
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Substance Use and Health Risk Intervention (SUHRI)

Detailed Description

A 1-arm design was used to examine preliminary efficacy of the adapted intervention. Youth aged 14 to 18 who are disposed to community supervision (deferred adjudication or probation) and meet eligibility requirements (1+ indicator of substance use, under community supervisions, English-speaking, no indication of suicide risk or thought disorder) were sampled from a large urban Texas juvenile probation department. Protocol administration was proctored by a TCU research assistant at a private space within a juvenile justice office or mutually agreed upon location of participant's choosing. Youth were asked to complete all assessments and participate in the 4 individualized technology-based intervention sessions where youth received information and engaged in decision making scenario-based games about substance use, sex risk practices, and related health-risk.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 40
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Texas
    • Fort Worth, Texas, United States, 76109
      • Texas Christian University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• on community supervision (e.g., deferred adjudication or probation), 1+ indicator of SU, English-speaking,

Exclusion Criteria:

• no indication of suicide risk or thought disorder

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Substance Use and Health Risk Intervention (SUHRI); A technology-based application (administered via tablet) that addresses the interrelated topics of substance use and risky sex practices, within the context of personal relationships. This is the only arm for this clinical trial; and reflects pilot 2 only with accompanying IRB protocol.

Behavioral: Substance Use and Health Risk Intervention (SUHRI); Technology-based intervention designed as 4 sessions administered on a tablet as a self-directed approach (requiring an onsite proctor) for addressing factors that increase risk for significant health problems. Topics such as SU and risky sex are important but often sensitive or difficult for juvenile justice staff to address in their role as probation officers.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Service Initiation	Number of Participants Who Initiated Substance Use or Health Services; obtained through client interviews.	Baseline
Service Initiation	Number of Participants Who Initiated Substance Use or Health Services; obtained through client interviews.	Week 7

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Texas Christian University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 21, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 27, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): July 27, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 9, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 9, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): November 15, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 14, 2025
• Last Verified: January 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Chemically-Induced Disorders; Substance-Related Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: R34DA048065 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

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