Fuerte Program for Psychological Trauma in Immigrant Youth

(Fuerte Trial)

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco

Disqualifiers: Non-Spanish speaker, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 4

Duration: 6-8 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a school-based program called Fuerte, designed to assist newcomer Latinx immigrant youth who may experience traumatic stress. The program aims to enhance their understanding of mental health, improve social skills, and connect them with specialized mental health services if needed. The Fuerte program will be tested in San Francisco schools and seeks to adapt for youth from other non-Latin American countries. The ideal participant is a high school student in San Francisco who immigrated from a Spanish-speaking Latin American country within the last five years and speaks Spanish fluently. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to developing a program that could significantly improve mental health support for immigrant youth.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It focuses on a school-based program for mental health support.

What prior data suggests that the Fuerte program is safe for immigrant youth?

Research has shown that the Fuerte program is generally easy for participants to handle. Early results suggest that the program is practical to run and has positively impacted the young people involved. No reports of serious negative effects have emerged from participation in the Fuerte program. As a school-based program focused on mental health, its safety centers on creating a supportive and effective environment rather than the risks typically associated with medication trials. The program aims to enhance understanding of mental health and social skills, emphasizing supportive, non-invasive activities. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Fuerte program because it offers a unique approach to addressing psychological trauma in immigrant youth. Unlike traditional treatments that might focus on individual therapy or pharmacological interventions, Fuerte is a prevention program designed to be delivered over six to eight weeks, aiming to build resilience and coping skills in a culturally sensitive manner. This program's emphasis on early intervention and community-based support distinguishes it from standard care options, potentially offering a more accessible and tailored solution for this vulnerable population. By focusing on prevention and empowerment, the Fuerte program has the potential to make a significant impact on the mental health outcomes of immigrant youth.

What evidence suggests that the Fuerte program is effective for psychological trauma in immigrant youth?

Studies have shown that the Fuerte program, available to participants in this trial, is promising for helping newcomer Latinx immigrant youth cope with traumatic stress. Early findings suggest it increases understanding of mental health, improves social skills, and connects at-risk students with mental health services. Research indicates that these young people benefit from the program, showing better social interactions and awareness of mental health. Although more data is needed, these early results highlight Fuerte's potential to support young immigrants dealing with stress from their new environment. ^{1 2 5 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

William Martinez, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of California, San Francisco

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for newcomer Latinx immigrant youth in San Francisco Unified School District, aged 12-18, who arrived in the U.S. within the last five years and speak Spanish or Arabic fluently. It's aimed at those who haven't completed the Fuerte program before and are at risk of traumatic stress.

Inclusion Criteria

You are employed by an organization that helps Arabic-speaking families in San Francisco with their education, mental health, and social needs.

I am fluent in Spanish.

You must have helped lead a Fuerte group or worked for a school/community organization that implemented a Fuerte group after 2019.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive the Fuerte prevention program in a group format over the span of six to eight weeks

6-8 weeks

Weekly group sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in mental health literacy, social functioning, and service access

3 months

Follow-up assessments immediately after intervention and 3 months post intervention

Focus Groups

Focus groups held to assess program effectiveness and gather feedback for adaptation

1 session

1 visit (in-person)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Fuerte

Trial Overview The study tests 'Fuerte,' a school-based group prevention program designed to improve mental health literacy, social functioning, and connect at-risk youth with specialized mental health services. The effectiveness of adapting Fuerte for non-Latin American immigrants will also be assessed.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Fuerte Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

This group will receive the Fuerte prevention program over the span of six to eight weeks.

Group II: Delayed waitlist control Active Control 1 Intervention

This group will be the delayed waitlist control group. They will not receive the Fuerte prevention program until the following semester.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, San Francisco

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,636

Recruited

19,080,000+

San Francisco Department of Public Health

Collaborator

Trials

38

Recruited

36,000+

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04156373

Fuerte Program for Newcomer Immigrant Youth The present study is a randomized control trial to evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of a school-based group prevention program (Fuerte) in San ...

2. bhsoac.ca.gov bhsoac.ca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2019-01/San%20Francisco%20County_INN%20Plan_Fuerte_2018_Final.pdf

Fuerte School-Based Prevention Groups While preliminary data provides some initial evidence of both the feasibility of implementing Fuerte, as well as positive outcomes experienced by youth who ...

3. division45.org division45.org/interventions/fuerte/

Interventions: Fuerte Fuerte's goal is to eliminate health disparities within the Latinx newcomer immigrant youth community by targeting three primary outcomes: (1) screening, ...

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12289464/

Creating an Empirically Informed Mental Health Workbook for ... Immigration is a significant determinant of mental illness among racialised newcomer youth who experience immigration challenges, ...

5. psycnet.apa.org psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-20082-008

Patient and community engagement for mental health ... Patient and community engagement for mental health disparities in Latinx youth immigrant populations: The Fuerte program. Publication Date. 2020. Language.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9088263/

“We could see our real selves:” The COVID‐19 syndemic and ... Fuerte's goal is to eliminate health disparities within the Latinx newcomer immigrant youth community by targeting three primary outcomes: (1) ...

7. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1876285921000607

Community-Based Trauma-Informed Care Following ... The culmination of trauma and adverse childhood events prior to and following reunification is associated with an increased risk of anxiety, depression, ...