JoyPop App for Mental Health Improvement

Overseen By Aislin R Mushquash, Ph.D.

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Lakehead University

Disqualifiers: Non-Indigenous, Under 18, Over 25, 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: 4 weeks

110 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Indigenous youth in Northwestern Ontario who need mental health supports experience longer waits than non-Indigenous youth within the region and when compared to youth in other more urban areas. Limited access and extended waits can exacerbate symptoms, prolong distress, and increase risk for more serious outcomes. Transitional aged youth (i.e., those in their mid-late teens to early twenties) are a particularly vulnerable group. Novel, innovative approaches are urgently needed to provide support for Indigenous youth in Northwestern Ontario. In partnership with Dilico Anishinabek Family Care, the investigators are evaluating the impact of a mental health app (JoyPop) as a tool for Indigenous transitional-aged youth who are waiting for mental health services. The JoyPop app was developed to support improved emotion regulation - a key difficulty for youth presenting with mental health challenges. A two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the app compared to usual practice while Indigenous transitional-aged youth are waiting for mental health services.

Research Team

Aislin R Mushquash, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Lakehead University

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for Indigenous transitional-aged youth (18-25 years old) in Northwestern Ontario who are on the wait-list for mental health services. Participants must be able to attend an orientation and have access to an iOS device, although a loaner iPhone with the JoyPop app will be provided if needed.

Inclusion Criteria

Eligible youth will also need to be available to attend a virtual or in-person orientation session

Participants will need access to an iOS device (e.g., iPhone, iPad) in order to download the JoyPop app. Refurbished iPhones containing just the JoyPop app will be provided to participants to use for the duration of the trial if they do not have access to their own.

I am an Indigenous youth aged 18-25 waiting for mental health services at Dilico.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive access to the JoyPop app for 4 weeks while being monitored through existing wait-list practices

4 weeks

Regular phone calls to check in and assess functioning

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in emotion regulation and mental health difficulties after the treatment phase

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• JoyPop

Trial Overview The study is testing the effectiveness of a mental health app called JoyPop, designed to help with emotion regulation. It's being compared against usual practice while participants await mental health services. The comparison is done through a randomized controlled trial.

Participant Groups

Group I: Usual Practice + JoyPop Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will be monitored through the existing wait-list practices, which involve regular phone calls to check in and assess functioning, and will receive access to the JoyPop app for 4 weeks.

Group II: Usual Practice Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will be monitored through existing wait-list practices which involve regular phone calls to check in and assess functioning. After 4 weeks in the Usual Practice condition, participants will be offered access to the JoyPop app.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Lakehead University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

29

Recruited

3,900+

Dilico Anishinabek Family Care

Collaborator

Trials

2

Recruited

220+