My Avenue to helP - Adaptive Mentalization-based Integrative Treatment Compared to Management as Usual for Youths With Multiple Problems: a Non-Randomized Controlled Feasibility Trial

Summary

My Avenue to HelP (MAP) is a non-randomized feasibility study testing the implementation of a cross-sectoral collaboration targeted youths, aged 12-17 years, with multiple social and psychological problems. MAP is a one-year intervention based on Adaptive Mentalization-Based Integrative Treatment (AMBIT). MAP is not a new treatment method, but rather a new way of offering and organizing support in the existing network around the young person. The objective is to create a new way for professionals across sectors to collaborate in supporting our most vulnerable youth. Thereby, the investigators aim to benefit the youths by incorporating a mentalizing stance to promote lasting changes beyond the intervention period. The MAP Project will run from 2025 to 2027.

The research will consist of two work packages (WPs)

* WP1 will test the feasibility of the MAP project examining a) whether young people can be successfully recruited to the project b) if the evaluation design and methods are feasible and c) if the intervention is feasible to participants and employees (quantitatively).
* WP2 will assess implementation determinants and evaluate the implementation strategies employed in the project. Furthermore, the acceptability of the intervention will qualitatively be assessed by interviews with selected participants, their parents, as well as employees.

Participants:

In total 60 youths aged 12-17 years from Region Zealand, Denmark:

* 40 youths will be enrolled and receive the one-year MAP Intervention; 30 youths residing in Roskilde Municipality and 10 residing in Lejre Municipality
* 20 youths from other municipalities in Region Zealand will be included in the trial as a control group.

To assess the nature and extent of the mental health problems and potential psychiatric disorders among the participating youths, the parents and the young person will be asked to complete an online questionnaire (Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA)).

Conditions

• Mental Health Care
• AMBIT
• Adaptive Mentalization-Based Integrative Treatment
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Health Care Professionals
• Mental Health Services
• Community Mental Health Services
• Emergency Services, Psychiatric
• Social Work, Psychiatric

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

My Avenue to HelP

The MAP intervention is based on AMBIT principles. A MAP team, consisting of designated employees from CAMHS and two municipalities, will be trained in AMBIT. A Key-Worker and a Mentalizing Case Manager will be assigned to each participant and step into the existing network, taking responsibility for integrating AMBIT principles into all aspects of the work with and around the young person. The Key-worker from the MAP team is responsible for reaching out to the young person at least once a week during the intervention. The Mentalizing Case Manager ensures that mentalization is upheld in the professional network. CAMHS will offer treatment as usual in accordance with the existing evidence-based clinical guidelines and best practice for any specific mental health disorder. The MAP team members will meet once a week to work as a team and collaborate closely with family members and other potential informal caregivers. The network of helpers will meet and coordinate monthly.

BEHAVIORAL

Management as Usual

Participants in the control group will receive non-manualized, standard treatment in CAMHS in collaboration with their municipality of residence, following local practice and guidelines. The MAU will be slightly enhanced compared to standard treatment: a) the young people will have an open case file during one year of participation in the MAP project (and longer if indicated), and b) the standard care services will receive feedback from the research assessment at baseline (after approval of the specific content from parents and the young person) in order to help the young person's caseworker to coordinate the support. These enhancements are made to improve the cohesion of care for the young person, yet without applying the mentalization-based AMBIT principles and MAP teams of the MAP treatment condition. principles applied in the MAP treatment condition.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Lejre Municipality

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Roskilde Municipality

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Region Zealand

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Department of Clinical Research, Hvidovre University Hospital, Denmark

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Pia Jeppesen

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Pia Jeppesen, Professor, MD · University of Copenhagen and head of the Research Department in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Region Zealand

• Martin Køster Rimvall, PhD, MD · Research Department in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Region Zealand

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

12 Years

Max Age

17 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-03-25

Primary Completion

2028-01-31

Completion

2028-01-31

Countries

• Denmark

Study Locations