Implementing Digital Peer Support Training for Adolescent Mental Health

Summary

Using a hybrid type III trial with a cluster randomized design, the digital peer support training for adolescent mental health protocol aims to implement a multidisciplinary program, which translates theoretical and empirical work from implementation science, communication science, and developmental psychology, to train adolescents in effective digital peer support for mental well-being.

With the lack of theoretically driven and empirically grounded program to train adolescents in providing digital peer support for mental well-being, this study involves the design and implementation of such a program using that addressed four research questions:

(a) what is digital peer support for adolescents, (b) how do peers provide effective peer support online, (c) how do we implement digital peer support training among adolescents, (d) what are the facilitators and barriers in training adolescents to provide effective peer support, and (e) how do we scale up and sustain digital peer support training among adolescents for far-reaching and long-lasting effectiveness?

Conditions

• Adolescent Development
• Peer Group
• Mental Health Wellness 1

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Digital Peer Support Training Program

The digital peer support training program will consist of bite size modules on the four active ingredients of youth mental well-being, which will be delivered through training workshops, simulation activities, and homework assignments. The training will be conducted over 8 sessions, each lasting for 45-60 minutes following the typical duration of a school lesson on Character and Citizenship Education. The training workshops will be conducted as part of the school's Character and Citizenship Education lessons. The proficiency of participants in applying these digital support skills will be evaluated through simulation and homework activities, in which they apply the four active ingredients in their responses to mock letters that are adapted from actual cases of peer emotional disclosure. At the end of the training, adolescents are expected to apply the four active ingredients to the homework assignments on peers' emotional experiences.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Manjusri Secondary School, Singapore

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• The N.1 Institute for Health (N.1)

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• GeckHong Yeo, PhD · N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore

• Dean Ho, PhD · N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore

• Wei Ning Chang, PhD · Institute of Mental Health, Singapore

• Bradford Brown, PhD · University of Wiscosnsin, Madison; Department of Educational Psychology

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

13 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-01-31

Primary Completion

2022-12-31

Completion

2023-12-31