SPARK Coping for Prodromal Symptoms

Overseen By Erica Whiting

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Washington

Disqualifiers: Inconsistent reporting, comprehension failure

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

50 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a single-session digital intervention (SPARK Coping) is acceptable, usable, and demonstrates a preliminary signal of efficacy in reducing symptom-related distress and increasing positive treatment-seeking attitudes among college students reporting subthreshold symptoms associated with risk for psychosis. Research questions inclue: * Does SPARK Coping reduce symptom-related distress and increase positive treatment seeking attitudes (primary outcomes) relative to a waitlist control condition? * Does SPARK Coping increase adaptive coping and reduce internalized stigma (primary targets) relative to a waitlist control condition? Researchers will compare provision of SPARK Coping to a waitlist control condition and collect data from participants on each of the variables described above. Participants will: * Complete questionnaires and surveys remotely at the start of the study and two weeks later * Be offered access to the SPARK Coping intervention either after completion of their baseline assessment (intervention arm) or after two weeks (waitlist control arm).

Research Team

Ben Buck, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Washington

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for U.S. college students who may be at risk for psychosis but aren't yet diagnosed with a mental illness. They should have specific scores on the Prodromal Questionnaire and Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences indicating potential risk.

Inclusion Criteria

Symptoms indicating risk for psychosis (a distress score >= 20 on the Prodromal Questionnaire, Brief [PQ-B], per Savill et al., 2018; Early Intervention in Psychiatry and a positive frequency average score >= 1.47 on the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE-P15), per Jaya et al., 2021 and Bukenaite et al., 2017)

Residence in the United States

Currently enrolled in a post-secondary college program.

Exclusion Criteria

Failure to demonstrate understanding of study details in comprehension screening

Inconsistent or implausible reporting of symptoms at screening as determined by empirically-determined methods for detecting malingering or inconsistency

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Remote assessment

Baseline Assessment

Participants complete questionnaires and surveys remotely at the start of the study

1 week

Remote assessment

Intervention

Participants in the intervention arm are given access to the SPARK Coping digital intervention

2 weeks

Remote access

Follow-up

Participants complete follow-up assessments to evaluate changes in symptoms and attitudes

2 weeks

Remote assessment

Treatment Details

Interventions

• SPARK Coping

Trial Overview Researchers are testing SPARK Coping, a digital intervention aimed to reduce distress from symptoms related to psychosis risk and encourage positive attitudes towards seeking treatment, compared to a waitlist control group.

Participant Groups

Group I: Intervention (SPARK Coping) Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will be given a link to SPARK Coping immediately following their baseline assessments are complete.

Group II: Waitlist Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will wait until their follow-up assessment to be given access to the SPARK Coping intervention.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Washington

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,858

Recruited

2,023,000+

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Collaborator

Trials

3,007

Recruited

2,852,000+