Youth Compass Plus
Condition: Psychological Flexibility; Psychological Well-being
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The aim of this randomized control trial is to examine the effectiveness of a novel web- and
      mobile-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy program (Youth Compass plus) to promote
      adolescents' psychological flexibility and well-being and subsequently support their
      successful transition from basic education to upper secondary education. Our aim is also to
      compare the efficacy of Youth Compass plus using either an eCoach providing automated
      personal support to the user or an eCoach and a Human Coach providing personal support to the
      user. Additionally, we will investigate whether the efficacy of the Youth Compass plus varies
      according to different individual and contextual factors.

      Using the internet to deliver interventions is assumed to be particularly motivating for
      youth who enjoy spending time online using different social media. Web-based interventions
      have several advantages; they can include more information and treatment components than
      traditionally delivered treatments and they are accessible at any time and place. The
      five-week structured intervention is delivered using the novel web- and mobile-based program
      Youth Compass plus. Youth Compass plus has been developed based on the feedback for the Youth
      COMPASS pilot program (see ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03274934). The exercises of Youth Compass
      plus have been modified, visual aspects have been improved and new game-based interactive
      elements have been developed. In the Youth COMPASS pilot study, psychology students acted as
      (human) coaches for the users. While interaction with a personal coach increases commitment
      to the program, the need to train and supervise coaches limits large scale dissemination. To
      provide an alternative that is less demanding in terms of resources, we have developed a
      chatbot (eCoach) as a new feature within the new Youth Compass plus program. The automated
      eCoach provides personal support within the program and via text messages. The eCoach
      provides support and encouragement, reminds about using Youth Compass plus, sends
      individualized feedback, and recommends different exercises.
    

Detailed description: 
      The aim of this randomized trial is to examine whether Youth Compass plus enhances
      adolescents' (a) psychological skills, particularly with respect to finding a purpose, and
      psychological flexibility and adaptation skills as the ACT process outcomes; (b) career
      preparation and psychological well-being as the proximal outcomes; and (c) the initiation of
      upper secondary education studies and engagement in upper secondary education as the distal
      outcomes.

      In addition, our aim is to investigate the ACT processes and mediating mechanisms of the
      Youth Compass plus program, and to explore the extent to which the effectiveness of the Youth
      Compass plus varies according to the differences in various individual and contextual
      factors.

      H1: The study expects that the Youth Compass plus is more effective than no intervention.
      Youth Compass plus is expected to promote ACT proximal youth outcomes, as well as the youth
      distal outcomes.

      H2: In addition, the study expects that the Youth Compass plus will promote the distal
      outcomes through enhancing the ACT process outcomes and the proximal outcomes.

      H3: The study expects that Youth Compass plus is more effective for those adolescents who
      accept the intervention well, take part intensively and diversely in different exercises, as
      well as among the adolescents who are initially highly emotionally reactive.
    

Intervention name(s): face-to-face support and Chatbot online support group; only chat-robot online support group; Control group, no intervention
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Behavioral: Structured web- and mobile-based intervention with Youth Compass plus program to support adolescents' psychological flexibility, well-being, and subsequently support successful transition to upper secondary education. The Youth Compass plus is a five-week online program aiming to enhance adolescents' psychological flexibility by guiding adolescents in exploring their values and setting goals and changing behaviors according to their goals (week 1), and learning acceptance, defusion and mindfulness skills (weeks 2-3) and integrating these skills into their personal and social life (weeks 4-5). The participants in this condition receive weekly online support and feedback from the eCoach built within the program. In addition, they meet and get support from their human coach (i.e., psychology student) twice in the face-to-face meetings.; Behavioral: Structured web- and mobile-based intervention with Youth Compass plus program to adolescents' psychological flexibility, well-being, and subsequently support successful transition to upper secondary education. The Youth Compass plus is a five-week online program aiming to enhance adolescents' psychological flexibility by guiding adolescents in exploring their values and setting goals and changing behaviors according to their goals (week 1), and learning acceptance, defusion and mindfulness skills (weeks 2-3) and integrating these skills into their personal and social life (weeks 4-5). The participants in this condition receive weekly online support and feedback from the eCoach built within the program.; Behavioral: No intervention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Efficacy study
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Adolescents; Acceptance Commitment Therapy; Web- and mobile-based intervention; Psychological flexibility; Psychological well-being; Career preparation; Successful educational transitions