Changing Narrative Intervention for Injury Prevention

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Nisha Sachdev, DrPH, PsyD

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: George Washington University

Disqualifiers: Non-resident, Age outside limits

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 12

1000 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

The trial aims to reduce youth involvement in firearm violence by promoting non-violent life paths for young people. It focuses on helping adolescents in Washington Highlands, DC, envision and pursue positive futures without violence. The project, called the "Changing Youth Narratives on Firearm Violence ('Run It Up') Intervention," includes training and mentoring for 12- to 16-year-olds, supported by a social media campaign and community support. Good candidates for the trial are those living in the intervention community who fall within the specified age range.

As an unphased study, this trial offers young people a unique opportunity to contribute to community safety and personal growth.

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 this intervention is safe for youth?

Previous studies have focused on programs like "Run It Up" to change how young people perceive violence. Participants have generally responded well, with no reports of major negative effects. The program relies on mentoring and community support rather than medication, reducing safety concerns. This project aims to help young people envision a future without violence. As it does not involve drugs or medical procedures, it is considered safe for participants. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the "Run It Up" intervention because it takes a fresh approach to preventing firearm violence among youth by changing their narratives and life paths. Unlike traditional methods that might focus on punitive measures or reactive strategies, this intervention proactively engages 12-16 year olds through training and mentoring in non-violent personal and career trajectories. Supported by a social media campaign and a community steering committee, it leverages community involvement and modern communication platforms to effectively reach and influence young minds, fostering long-term change. This innovative strategy aims to create a cultural shift towards non-violence, making it a promising tool for reducing firearm-related injuries.

What evidence suggests that the "Run It Up" intervention is effective for reducing youth involvement in firearm violence?

Research has shown that changing how young people think about their future can help reduce their involvement in violence. In this trial, the "Run It Up" program, part of the youth intervention arm, helps youth envision futures without violence by presenting different life paths. Studies have found that programs like this can decrease youth gun violence by altering their self-perception and community connections. The project employs mentoring and social media to encourage positive life choices. Early results suggest that exposure to these new ideas leads young people to imagine and choose healthier futures. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Mark Edberg, PhD, MA

Principal Investigator

George Washington University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adolescents in the Washington Highlands community who are at a stage of developing their identity. It aims to help them envision non-violent futures by providing alternative narratives and support structures. There's no specific exclusion criteria provided, but participants likely need to be part of the local youth population.

Inclusion Criteria

I live in the specified area and am within the age range required.

Exclusion Criteria

I do not live in the specific area required and am outside the age range.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Data Collection

Baseline data from a sample of community youth and parents/guardians are collected prior to implementing the intervention

2 months

Multiple visits (in-person and virtual)

Intervention

Training and mentoring of 12-16 year old youth in non-violent personal/career trajectories, supported by a social media campaign and a community steering committee

3 years

Ongoing community engagement and activities

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in self-reported violence involvement and community violence data

24 months

Follow-up surveys at 12 and 24 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Changing Youth Narratives on Firearm Violence ("Run It Up") Intervention

Trial Overview The 'Run It Up' project tests an intervention that uses narrative modules to influence youths' perceptions of their future selves, steering them away from violence. The study involves creating media products that promote non-violent life paths and measuring if these change youth attitudes towards violence.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Youth intervention arm Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Training and mentoring of 12-16 year old youth in non-violent personal/career trajectories, supported by a social media campaign and a community steering committee.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

George Washington University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

263

Recruited

476,000+

National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)

Collaborator

Trials

473

Recruited

1,374,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Members of 4-H Shooting Sports clubs perceive firearm injuries mainly as unintentional, but they recognize various risks, including suicide and violence, highlighting the need for comprehensive prevention strategies.

The study suggests that bystander intervention (BI) training could be beneficial for club members, as they feel a civic responsibility to act, but face barriers like lack of knowledge and confidence in intervening.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Bystander intervention to prevent firearm injury: A qualitative study of 4-H shooting sports participants. Trinka, T., Oesterle, DW., Silverman, AC., et al.[2023]

The ShootSafe program aims to teach children aged 10-12 about firearms safety through interactive games and educational videos, focusing on knowledge, impulse control, and perceptions of firearms-related risks.

The effectiveness of ShootSafe will be evaluated in a randomized controlled trial with 162 participants, measuring outcomes such as firearms safety knowledge and simulated behavior, which could lead to improved safety practices among children.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Study protocol: developing and evaluating an interactive web platform to teach children hunting, shooting and firearms safety: a randomized controlled trial. Schwebel, DC., Long, DL., Gowey, M., et al.[2022]

In a study involving 15 youth victims of violence and 9 crime victim specialists, both groups preferred visual representations of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) with high color-shading and descriptive elements, indicating a strong interest in engaging formats for data presentation.

The most valued domains for PROs included social, anger, emotional, school, physical, peer relations, and psychosocial well-being, while there was less interest in domains like positive affect and depression, highlighting specific areas of focus for future violence intervention programming.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Youth victim perspective: optimizing presentation of patient-reported outcomes in a violence intervention program. Hollo, A., Nimmer, M., Cheaton, B., et al.[2023]

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06940362

Changing Youth Narratives on Firearm Violence ("Run It ... The Run It Up project is an experimental, theory-driven effort to address a specific connection between structural factors, youth identity development, ...

2. reporter.nih.gov reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10399852

Preventing Firearm Violence in Youth: A hospital-based ... This project uses a rigorous randomized control trial to evaluate a promising hospital-based youth violence intervention that incorporates 3-months of ...

3. cswd.gwu.edu cswd.gwu.edu/run-it-project

The Run It Up Project | Center for Social Well-Being & ... The Run It Up Project: Changing Youth Narratives on Firearm Violence is a university-community collaborative intervention dedicated to ending youth gun violence ...

4. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-injury-prevention-3-2025-4bb81

Changing Narrative Intervention for Injury Prevention The 'Run It Up' treatment is unique because it focuses on changing youth narratives around firearm violence, potentially using storytelling or narrative ...

5. endfirearmviolence.org endfirearmviolence.org/project/changing-the-narrative-on-firearms-violence-a-community-collaborative-intervention/

Changing the Narrative on Firearms Violence This project will implement and evaluate a unique community-level intervention to prevent firearm violence among youth in a Washington, DC community.