Talk-a-teen Whatsapp intervention for youth at risk
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN34268749 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN34268749 |
| ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT) | Nil known |
| Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS) | Nil known |
| Protocol serial number | 1000 |
| Sponsor | Tel Aviv University |
| Funder | Investigator initiated and funded |
- Submission date
- 31/03/2022
- Registration date
- 24/06/2022
- Last edited
- 24/06/2022
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Youth at risk are often in great need of professional help, which they do not receive for different reasons - limited accessibility, negative stigma, limited parental awareness, etc. The Talk-a-teen Whatsapp therapy study aims to examine the efficiency of an online textual intervention for youth at risk who report significant distress.
Who can participate?
Participants will be high school students, between the ages of 14 - 18 years
What does the study involve?
The study involves participating in one of three conditions: Talk-a-teen Whatsapp therapt, CBT, or a combination of the two for 8 weeks.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The benefits are far-reaching as this study could shed light on a new type of therapy which requires less resources and can easily be available to youth at risk all over the world. The risks are minor, as the intervention in all three conditions are given by trained clinical psychologists with at least 5 years of experience.
Where is the study run from?
Tel-Aviv University (Israel)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
January 2020 to January 2024
Who is funding the study?
Investigator initiated and funded
Who is the main contact?
Prof. Michelle Slone, mich@tauex.tau.ac.il
Contact information
Principal investigator
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv
69978
Israel
 ORCID ID |
0000-0002-8644-8302 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +972 546983000 |
| mich@tauex.tau.ac.il |
Study information
| Primary study design | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Study design | Interventional randomised |
| Secondary study design | Randomised parallel trial |
| Study type | Participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | Talk-a-teen Whatsapp Intervention for youth at risk compared to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) |
| Study objectives | Talk-a-teen whatsapp intervention will lead to a decrease in levels of distress among youth at risk. |
| Ethics approval(s) | Approval pending, the ethics committee of Tel-Aviv University |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Psychological distress |
| Intervention | The study includes 3 groups to which participants are randomly assigned: 1. Talk-a-teen Whatsapp intervention 2. CBT intervention 3. Combined Talk-a-teen and CBT intervention Talk-a-teen Whatsapp Intervention: the protocol starts with an acquaintance meeting face to face between the psychologist and the participant. Thereafter, the Whatsapp therapy is conducted, in which the therapist gives 3-4 textual interventions via Whatsapp every week, for a period of 8 weeks. The interventions were based on psychoeducation, social support and CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) principles. The CBT group received a classic CBT protocol over a period of 8 weeks. The combined CBT and Talk-a-teen group received the classic CBT protocol with an addition of the talk-a-teen protocol between sessions, over a period of 8 weeks. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
Psychological distress measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory at baseline and 12 weeks. |
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
There are no secondary outcome measures |
| Completion date | 01/01/2024 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Other |
|---|---|
| Age group | Child |
| Lower age limit | 14 Years |
| Upper age limit | 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Target sample size at registration | 200 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Students in "Ort" schools which are schools for at risk youth in Israel 2. Students who will report significant distress in the pre-test battery 3. Aged 14 - 18 years |
| Key exclusion criteria | Participants who reported significant suicidal tendencies |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/05/2022 |
| Date of final enrolment | 01/07/2022 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Israel
Study participating centre
Israel
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | Yes |
|---|---|
| IPD sharing plan summary | Stored in publicly available repository |
| IPD sharing plan | The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study will be stored in a publically available repository. |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participant information sheet | Participant information sheet | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
Editorial Notes
24/05/2022: Trial's existence confirmed by Ort School Network
