Bullying Prevention Intervention for Adolescent Primary Care Patients
Condition: Cyberbullying
MeSH terms: Bullying; Cyberbullying
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this randomized controlled study is to evaluate acceptability and feasibility,
      and to gather preliminary data about efficacy, of "iPACT" (intervention to Prevent Adolescent
      Cyber-victimization with Text messages), a brief in-clinic introductory session +
      longitudinal automated text-message-based secondary prevention program for adolescents with a
      history of past-year cyber-victimization presenting to a pediatric clinic for well-child
      visits.
    

Detailed description: 
      Cyber-victimization predicts depressive symptoms and suicidality; it correlates with PTSD
      symptoms, alcohol and other drug use, physical peer violence, and dating violence.

      Almost 80% of adolescents have a well-child visit with their pediatrician each year.
      Pediatricians recognize this visit as an important opportunity for behavioral screening,
      interventions, and referrals, but they currently lack cyber-victimization interventions that
      are feasible and effective in the clinical setting. Personalized text-message interventions
      are accessible, feasible, and may be effective with these adolescents.

      The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility and acceptability of a novel
      text-message-augmented secondary prevention intervention, "iPACT." Drawing on effective
      cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing (MI) depression and violence
      prevention interventions, a brief in-clinic session will introduce basic cognitive and
      behavioral strategies. Following their clinic visit, eight weeks of tailored CBT-informed
      daily text messages will be sent, to enhance skills and remind participants of
      self-determined goals.

      Participants will be identified in the course of usual clinical care. If eligible, parents
      will be consented and participants assented. Participants will complete a baseline assessment
      and will be randomized to experimental (iPACT, n=25) or enhanced usual care (EUC, n=25) care,
      using stratified block randomization.

      iPACT group participants will participate in a brief, structured in-clinic introduction on
      CBT and the iPACT program, followed by 8 weeks of tailored, two-way, CBT-and MI-informed
      automated text messages (short message service, SMS). EUC group participants will receive
      standardized information on cyberbullying. The current standard of care for these patients is
      no care: no cyber-victimization screening assessment protocols are currently used in our
      clinic. Both iPACT and EUC conditions therefore exceed current levels of care.

      At baseline, 8 week follow-up, and 16 week follow-up, participants will complete assessments
      on cyberbullying, peer violence, and cognitive/behavioral skill-sets. At the 8-week
      follow-up, standardized qualitative and quantitative process measures will be administered to
      assess efficacy, acceptability, usability, and feasibility.
    

Intervention name(s): iPACT Intervention; Control: Enhanced Usual Care (EUC); iPACT Intervention- app
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Other; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Brief in-person + tailored, daily 8-week text-message secondary prevention intervention.; EUC group participants will receive standardized information on cyberbullying.; Brief in-person + tailored, daily 8-week message secondary prevention intervention delivered via app.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: cyber-victimization; text message; mhealth