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Mentoring Program for Mental Health (SMART Trial)

N/A

Recruiting

Led By David DuBois, PhD

Research Sponsored by University of Illinois at Chicago

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial

Must have

Youth is between 9- and 16-years-old

Be younger than 18 years old

Must not have

Youth difficulties in cognitive functioning that would preclude ability to complete study assessments

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up end of study participation, average of 2 years

Awards & highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

"This trial aims to see if participating in the Great Life Mentoring (GLM) program can improve the mental health and adaptive functioning of school-age youth from low-income families who are already receiving mental health

Who is the study for?

This trial is for school-age youth, ages 9-16, from low-income families who are currently receiving outpatient mental health services. To participate, they must have consent from their parent or guardian and agree to annual surveys as well as sharing their mental health service records.

What is being tested?

The study is testing the Great Life Mentoring (GLM) program's impact on improving mental health and adaptive functioning in youths. Participants will either continue with standard outpatient services (SAU) or receive SAU plus GLM. The two groups' outcomes will be compared over time.

What are the potential side effects?

Since this trial involves a mentoring program rather than medication, traditional physical side effects are not expected. However, participants may experience changes in mood or behavior due to the nature of the intervention.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below

Select...

I am between 9 and 16 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:

Select...

I do not have cognitive difficulties that prevent me from completing study tasks.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ end of study participation, average of 2 years

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~end of study participation, average of 2 years

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and end of study participation, average of 2 years for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.

Primary study objectives

Anxiety Symptoms

Depressive Symptoms

Externalizing Symptoms

+8 more

Secondary study objectives

Academic Success

Adaptive Coping with Stress

Career Exploration

+30 more

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: GLM + Services as UsualExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

The Great Life Mentoring program (GLM) provides volunteer-based mentoring for school-age youth from low-resource families who are receiving outpatient mental health care. Each youth is paired with a mentor with whom they spend time in the community on a weekly basis for at least one year. Mentors are required to complete a 20-hour intensive training prior to being paired with a youth. Mentors also receive monthly in-person supervision from GLM staff for the first year of their meetings, which continues on an as-needed basis thereafter. Training and supervision are geared toward the unique opportunities and challenges that can occur when mentoring a youth with mental health needs. The goal is for the mentor to become an integral part of the child's mental health treatment, but the mentoring relationship is also sustained after treatment ends.

Group II: Services as UsualActive Control1 Intervention

Outpatient mental health services as usual

0 / 2Eligibility criteria met