Get ActivE Study for At-risk Youth

Summary

The study will adapt and deploy a digital Behavioral Activation app with mobile sensing, supported by health coaches, that encourages youth to engage in positive activities. The study has the potential to offer a low-cost and scalable behavioral intervention that may decrease risk of suicide among at-risk youth. This research will examine specifically whether an intervention involving an app called Vira, combined with health coaching (GET ActivE) can improve enjoyment for teens coping with depression. Research participants will be randomly assigned to one of two study intervention. One study intervention involves a) downloading an app called Vira and engaging by responding to a daily question, and b) participating in a conversation via text, phone, or messages through an appt with a health coach. The health coach will use the Vira app and principles from evidence-based therapy and behavior change to provide users with insights to sustain well-being and better manage risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors such as depressed mood and behavioral withdrawal. The second study intervention involves downloading an app called EARS and responding to a daily question.

Conditions

• Anhedonia
• Depression and Suicide Ideation

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

GET ActivE

The GET ActivE health coach will review data from the Vira app and send nudges to the participant with insights encouraging them to engage in activities that bring enjoyment or pleasure.

BEHAVIORAL

Treatment As Usual

Participants randomized to Treatment As Usual may have access to activity data from an app and receive summary information about activity patterns at the end of their participation.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Oregon

  collaborator OTHER

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

  collaborator NIH

• Columbia University

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Pittsburgh

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Jamie Zelazny, PhD, MPH, RN · University of Pittsburgh

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

12 Years

Max Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-03-27

Primary Completion

2026-12-31

Completion

2026-12-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations