Integrated Prevention and Collaborative Care for Youth Mental Health

Summary

Mental health problems affect 10-20% of children and adolescents worldwide, with half of affected youth experiencing problems by the age of 14. Despite the early onset of mental health problems, evidence-based prevention and early intervention programs remain scarce. If left untreated, early-onset mental health problems can progress to become severe or chronic conditions, and incur significant medical and societal costs.

The current project proposes an integrated screening and intervention model that was developed involving active youth, family and community engagement. This project, known as Inter-Venture, focuses on reducing barriers to youth mental health care and promoting early screening and intervention by fostering collaboration between school and community-based services providers. The Inter-Venture project is being conducted in the Montreal area (Canada), and consists of three intervention modalities. Namely, 1) systematic school-based screening and personality-targeted interventions for students most at risk of mental health problems and substance misuse (the Preventure program); 2) a parent program designed to strengthen parenting skills and to improve the management of child behavior problems (Cope/EQUIPE program); 3) integrated services provided by a multidisciplinary team of professionals (referred to as Inter-Action) for youth with significant symptoms of mental health problems, substance misuse and/or psychosocial difficulties. The intervention model involves knowledge transfer to boost capacity-building and improve the provision and sustainability of evidence-based interventions in community settings.

The primary goal of the Inter-Venture trial is to assess the potential effect of the school-based targeted interventions and collaborative care in the prevention, early detection and reduction of mental health problems, substance misuse and psychosocial difficulties among young people. The secondary goal is to assess the effect of interventions on school performance and whether the interventions can protect cognitive functions that may be negatively affected by early-onset substance use and mental health problems, and promote cognitive development through the prevention of these difficulties.

Conditions

• Mental Disorders
• Substance-Related Disorders
• Quality of Life

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Preventure program

Personality-targeted interventions conducted using manuals which incorporate psycho-educational, motivational enhancement therapy and cognitive-behavioural components. They include real life 'scenarios' shared by local youth with similar personality profiles. In the first session, participants are guided in a goal-setting exercise, designed to enhance motivation to change behaviour. Psycho-educational strategies are then used to teach participants about the target personality variable and associated problematic coping behaviours like avoidance, interpersonal dependence, aggression, risky behaviours and substance misuse.

BEHAVIORAL

Equipe program

Parent training program designed to be delivered in community settings accessible to large groups of parents of 13 to 18 year olds. It uses a coping modeling problem solving process in which parents are the key players in developing problem solving strategies. Parents participate in group workshops with themes related to communication, conflict resolution, cooperative transitions, negotiating, house rules, monitoring, consequences for serious problems and problem solving. Parents are guides to establish solutions to common problems. Readings and videotapes are used in the workshops to guide parents in identifying common challenges in child management, parenting errors, discussing possible consequences and alternative strategies as well as rationales supporting these strategies.

BEHAVIORAL

Inter-Action services

An intervention model designed to provide integrated services for youth with significant symptoms of mental health problems, substance misuse and/or psychosocial difficulties. Young people with such difficulties will benefit from stepped and collaborative care involving interventions of varied intensity adapted to their needs and the severity of their problems. These will include cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviews, dialectic behavioral therapy and family interventions provided by multidisciplinary teams of professionals. A case navigator will be in charge of initiating service provision and ensuring a fast and smooth flow of information between indicated services providers.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• St. Justine's Hospital

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Patricia J Conrod, PhD · St. Justine's Hospital

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

12 Years

Max Age

17 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-04-24

Primary Completion

2021-09-14

Completion

2021-12-14

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations