Color Brave Conversations for Addressing Racism

Overseen By David H. Chae, ScD, MA

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Tulane University

Disqualifiers: Residence outside US, Non-US born, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 6 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to test a mobile app, part of the Color Brave Program, designed to help parents discuss race with their young children in kindergarten through 2nd grade. Researchers seek to determine if this app can enhance children's social skills and emotional well-being. Participants will either begin using the app immediately or after a short wait. The trial seeks parents or caregivers in the U.S. who can read English and have children aged 5 to 8. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to important research on enhancing children's social and emotional development.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that the Color Brave Program is safe for parents and children?

Research has shown that the Color Brave Program helps parents discuss race with their young children in a healthy manner. Although clinical safety data for this app-based program is unavailable, the trial emphasizes educational content rather than medical treatment. The goal is to enhance understanding and communication about race. As an educational tool, not a drug or medical procedure, typical safety concerns like side effects do not apply. Participants will use an app to guide discussions, providing a safe way to learn. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Color Brave Program because it offers a unique approach to addressing racism by focusing on early education through guided conversations between parents and young children. Unlike traditional educational resources that might not specifically target racial discussions or are designed for older audiences, this program uses a mobile app as a delivery method, making it accessible and engaging for both parents and their K-2nd grade children. The app’s interactive modules are designed to facilitate meaningful discussions about race, potentially fostering a more inclusive mindset from an early age. This innovative approach could pave the way for more effective strategies in reducing racial bias by starting conversations at a formative stage in children's development.

What evidence suggests that the Color Brave Program is effective for improving prosocial behaviors and emotional well-being?

Research shows that the Color Brave Program helps parents talk openly about race with their young children. Studies have found that these conversations can increase understanding and reduce racial bias. In this trial, participants in the experimental group will use a mobile app to guide them through these talks, aiming to encourage helpful behaviors and improve children's emotional well-being. While direct proof of the app's effectiveness is still being gathered, similar programs have positively impacted families by promoting honest and educational discussions about race. This suggests that the Color Brave Program could succeed in reaching its goals. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

David H. Chae, ScD, MA

Principal Investigator

Tulane University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for US residents who are parents aged 22 or older with a child in kindergarten to 2nd grade (ages 5-8). Participants must be able to read and understand English. It's designed to help them discuss race, racism, and anti-racism with their children.

Inclusion Criteria

I am at least 22 years old and my child is between 5 and 8 years old.

US born

Residence in the US

Exclusion Criteria

Residence outside the US

Non-US born

Eligible parents or children without eligible and consenting counterpart

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants in the experimental group complete a 6-week multi-module mobile app program designed to enhance and encourage critical conversations about race and racism among parents and their young children.

6 weeks

Wait-list Control

Participants in the wait-list control group are placed on a wait-list for the first 6 weeks, after which they receive the color brave program.

6 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for the effectiveness of the intervention through various outcome measures, including online questionnaire surveys and interviews.

12 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Color Brave Program

Trial Overview

The study tests an app-based 'color brave' program aimed at guiding parents on how to talk about race with young kids. The effectiveness of the program will be measured using surveys and interviews in a randomized wait-list controlled trial.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Wait-list Control Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The wait-list control group will be placed on the wait-list for the first 6-weeks, the period in which the experimental group will complete the intervention program. Following the 6-week wait-list period they will receive the ColorBRAVE program.

Group II: ColorBRAVE Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The experimental group will be asked to download a multi-module mobile app designed to guide parents and caregivers in having conversations about race with their K-2nd grade children

Color Brave Program is already approved in United States for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Color Brave Program for:

• Promoting anti-racism discussions in families with K-2nd grade children

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Tulane University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

129

Recruited

259,000+

University of Chicago

Collaborator

Trials

1,086

Recruited

844,000+

University of Illinois at Chicago

Collaborator

Trials

653

Recruited

1,574,000+

San Diego State University

Collaborator

Trials

182

Recruited

119,000+

Tufts University

Collaborator

Trials

271

Recruited

595,000+

Northwestern University

Collaborator

Trials

1,674

Recruited

989,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

A year-long antiracism curriculum was developed for 175 first-year medical students, consisting of six 2-hour seminars based on Ibram X. Kendi's work.

Students reported feeling more comfortable and capable of discussing and addressing racism in healthcare settings, indicating that such curricula can effectively prepare future medical professionals to confront racism in their careers.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Addressing Racism in Medical Education: A Longitudinal Antiracism Discussion Curriculum for Medical Students. Carrera, D., Tejeda, C., Kakani, P., et al.[2023]

The Disparities Elimination Summer Research Experience (DESRE) successfully trained 22 students over 4 years, providing them with hands-on experience in health equity research, which significantly increased their self-reported competencies across 26 learning objectives.

The program demonstrated a 77% success rate in guiding participants towards careers in biomedical research or health disparities, with 100% of minority participants pursuing further education or careers focused on health equity.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Disparities Elimination Summer Research Experience (DESRE): An Intensive Summer Research Training Program to Promote Diversity in the Biomedical Research Workforce. Smalley, KB., Warren, JC.[2021]

The RISE UP curriculum, which includes hybrid workshops for pediatric residents, effectively equipped 92% of participants with tools to address bias and 85% with knowledge on how to escalate concerns about discriminatory behavior, demonstrating its efficacy in combating racism in medical settings.

With 96% of participants recommending the workshops to colleagues, the program shows promise for broader implementation, emphasizing the importance of institutional support and faculty development in addressing racism in healthcare.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Realizing Inclusion and Systemic Equity in Medicine: Upstanding in the Medical Workplace (RISE UP)-an Antibias Curriculum. Calardo, SJ., Kou, M., Port, C., et al.[2022]

A student-led conference with 220 participants, including medical, nursing, and social work students, effectively increased comfort levels in discussing racism's impact on health, with 47.7% reporting improved comfort post-conference.

The conference also enhanced understanding of racism's effects on health for 36.4% of respondents and fostered connections among health professionals, indicating its potential as a valuable educational intervention in health care training.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Recognizing Racism in Medicine: A Student-Organized and Community-Engaged Health Professional Conference. Adelekun, AA., Beltrán, S., Carney, J., et al.[2022]

Language-concordant and personal interactions significantly improved recruitment rates of Spanish-speaking individuals for genomic research studies, highlighting the importance of effective communication.

Culturally tailored materials were also found to be effective in engaging marginalized communities, suggesting that personalized approaches can enhance participation in health research.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The importance of personalismo: Navigating obstacles in recruitment strategies for Spanish speakers in marginalized communities. Glanton, E., Yarrington, CD., Calderwood, L., et al.[2021]

The Presence 5 for Racial Justice (P5RJ) Curriculum emphasizes the importance of inquiry and empathy as key communication practices for addressing anti-Black racism in clinical care, based on a survey of 50 clinicians and medical trainees.

The study identified a need to enhance anti-racism communication tools by incorporating more statements of self-accountability and allyship, suggesting that these elements could further promote health equity for Black patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Moving beyond inquiry: a secondary qualitative analysis on promoting racial justice in clinical care. Kyerematen, B., Garcia, R., Cox, J., et al.[2023]

The Research Ambassador Program effectively increased the willingness of 819 Latino and Black participants to engage in clinical trials by addressing common myths and concerns about research.

After participating in the program, half of the attendees chose to enroll in a clinical trial research registry, indicating a significant shift in behavior towards research participation among historically underrepresented populations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Research Ambassador Program: An innovative educational approach to addressing underrepresentation of minority populations in clinical research. Wolfe, N., Rubio-Diaz, M., Garcia, A., et al.[2023]

In a study involving 10,521 participants with abnormal cancer screenings and 2,105 with cancer diagnoses, patient navigation significantly improved the timeliness of diagnostic resolution and treatment initiation after 90 days, with adjusted hazard ratios of 1.51 and 1.43, respectively.

The effectiveness of patient navigation was particularly notable in centers where there were greater delays in follow-up care, suggesting that this intervention is especially beneficial for populations at risk of being lost to follow-up.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of patient navigation on timely cancer care: the Patient Navigation Research Program. Freund, KM., Battaglia, TA., Calhoun, E., et al.[2022]

A scoping review of 51 studies involving over 6568 learners identified various educational strategies for developing skills in implicit bias recognition and management (IBRM) across professions related to social determinants of health.

The review highlights the need for continued research to create effective skills-based curricula and assessment methods that help learners recognize and manage their implicit biases, ultimately aiming to improve equitable patient outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Implicit bias instruction across disciplines related to the social determinants of health: a scoping review. Gonzalez, CM., Onumah, CM., Walker, SA., et al.[2023]

Citations

1.

reporter.nih.gov

reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11137825

A Public Health Strategy to Advance Racial Equity

Promoting Color Brave Conversations in Families: A Public Health Strategy to Advance Racial Equity ... racism and address its consequences. Public Health ...

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publichealth.sdsu.edu

publichealth.sdsu.edu/research/projects/promoting-color-brave-conversations-in-families

Promoting Color Brave Conversations in Families

... module mobile app intervention program in promoting productive, color-conscious, and anti-racism conversations between parents and their

3.

casey.org

casey.org/media/Interventions-Effective-for-Families-of-Color_Research-Brief.pdf

Interventions Shown to Be Effective with Children and ...

Intended Program Outcomes ... conversations with intervention developers and evaluators, and some of comprehensive.

4.

sciencedirect.com

sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953624008578

Interventions addressing systemic racism in the US

Less is known, however, about effective intervention strategies to address systemic racism and the resulting health inequities. This scoping review was ...

5.

researchgate.net

researchgate.net/publication/388355566_The_effectiveness_of_providing_training_and_ongoing_support_to_foster_cultural_humility_in_volunteers_serving_as_mentors_to_youth_of_color_a_mixed-methods_study_protocol

a mixed-methods study protocol

conversations around racism. Research supports the potential for cultural humility. training to change mentors' attitudes. A case study [24].

6.

centerwatch.com

centerwatch.com/clinical-trials/listings/NCT05197998/promoting-colorbrave-conversations-in-families

Promoting ColorBRAVE Conversations in Families

A mobile app-based intervention for parents of children in K-2nd grade designed that guides them in how to have productive conversations about race.

7.

sph.tulane.edu

sph.tulane.edu/news/tulane-university-researcher-awarded-34-million-nih-grant-help-families-have-color-brave

Tulane University researcher awarded $3.4 million NIH grant ...

The goal of the app is to provide lessons that help white parents cultivate anti-racism in their kids. The app will engage parents and children from ...

8.

ascd.org

ascd.org/el/articles/the-leadership-journey-from-color-blind-to-color-brave

The Leadership Journey from Color-Blind to Color-Brave

As a principal, I used data as a tool to help our school analyze behavior concerns across grade levels. We logged office referrals and ...

9.

pwc.co.uk

pwc.co.uk/who-we-are/our-purpose/community-engagement/pwc-foundation/colourbrave-charity-committee.html

ColourBrave Charity Committee

We established a ColourBrave Charity Committee in 2020, made up of people from across the firm. Their role is to help allocate grants and develop volunteering ...