Active clinical trials for "Mental Disorders"

Early intervention in psychosis might be associated with better outcomes. However, intervention in the pre-psychotic phase has been questioned as, using current criteria, only 20-50% of individuals classified as prodromal develop a psychotic disorder within a 1-2 years period. Treatment agents investigated in the pre-psychotic phase of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders should, therefore, not have major side effects. This proposal investigates omega-3 fatty acids (1.2 gramm per day eicosapentaenoic acid/docosahexaenoic acid;EPA/DHA) as a beneficial and possible preventive therapeutic agent in young people at ultra high-risk for developing a psychotic disorder.

This 4-year competing continuation will extend the follow-up for 750 subjects enrolled in a randomized interventions trial, Project STYLE: "HIV Prevention for Youth with Severe Mental Illness" (R01, MH 63008). Extending the follow-up from one year to 36 months will 1) discern the long-term impact of the Project STYLE interventions and 2) permit complex modeling of the predictors and trajectories of sexual health (delay of sex) and risk (incident STIs). Adolescents, particularly those in mental health treatment, are at risk for HIV because of sexual and substance behaviors. Parent-child communication about sexual topics and parental supervision are associated with delays in the onset of sexual activity and more responsible sexual behavior; thus, the parent project, Project STYLE, is a randomized trial that is evaluating the comparative efficacy of three interventions: a) family-based HIV prevention intervention, b) adolescent-only HIV prevention intervention, and c) general health promotion intervention. This multi-site project (Rhode Island Hospital, Emory University, and the University of Illinois at Chicago) is enrolling an ethnically/racially/geographically diverse group of 750 adolescents in outpatient mental health treatment and their parents. Subjects receive a full day group intervention on the day of randomization, return in two weeks for an individual session, participate in a half day booster session three months later, and are assessed six and 12 months after the intervention. This application offers a unique opportunity to assess this already ascertained sample at three additional points (24,30, and 36 months). This is important because few studies have examined the longer-term predictors of the delay of sex and incident STIs over 36 months using a comprehensive array of family functioning, family monitoring/communication, and trauma history. Additionally, this continuation will provide important data concerning the long-term impact of Project STYLE's theoretically based HIV prevention programs which are designed to maintain safe sexual behaviors. The Family-Based program has increased parent/adolescent sexual communication and reduced adolescent unprotected sex after six months and extended assessment will determine whether these benefits are maintained over time.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether preventative treatment with sarcosine can reduce symptoms and delay/avoid disease progression in individuals defined as being in a prodromal stage of schizophrenia.

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of the Promoting First Relationships (PFR) program versus an Early Education Support (EES) program in promoting infant well-being, preventing emotional and behavioral problems, countering developmental delay, and reducing placement instability in young foster care children.

The objective of the proposed study is to determine the feasibility of an Early Detection program that aims to: (i) identify college students at clinical high risk (CHR) of psychosis or with first episode psychosis (FEP), and (ii) efficiently link them to coordinated specialty care (CSC) services for a 2nd stage screen, a clinical assessment, and appropriate treatment. Preliminary estimates of effectiveness with respect to the intervention will also be provided.

The expansion project "Inclusive Plus", which is financed by Innosuisse, is based on a pilot project. The psychotherapeutic offer developed in the previous project for psychologically burdened adolescents and young adults to support them in their professional integration was revised and supplemented and is being reviewed in this project. In addition to the group psychotherapeutic intervention, 5 one-on-one interviews are offered as needed. In addition, regular further training courses on mental health and illness in adolescence are implemented. And finally, a conference is to promote cooperation between referring physicians and bridge offers. The intervention will be implemented in 5 cantons (Zurich, Berne, Lucerne, St. Gallen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden) and in 7 different bridge services. The program is aimed at adolescents and young adults between 16 and 29 years of age who have sufficient knowledge of German. Participation is voluntary and the group size for the psychotherapy group is limited to 8 participants. The main question is whether the integration of young people with mental stress into the labor market is more successful. At three points in time (entry, exit, six months after exit) changes in selected indicators (including work ability, mental health, functional status, behaviour in seeking help) are measured. In addition, changes in the groups of participants will be surveyed. The implementation of the psychotherapy groups in the respective bridge offers will take place in autumn 2020, and the study will be completed with the last follow-up by the end of 2022.

A Healthy Life Center (HLC, 'Frisklivssentrale') is a public community-based health service providing lifestyle support programs for physical activity, smoking cessation and diet, to inhabitants with increased risk for development of non-communicable diseases. HLCs intention is to reach physically inactive people who need guidance to get more physically active, and offer them a lifestyle program for three months or more. The main aim of this study is to study whether the HLCs, organized according to the Norwegian Directorate of Health's guidelines for municipal healthy life centers, affects the participants short term (3 months) and long term (15 months) physical activity level. Also changes in diet, tobacco use, health related quality of life, physical fitness, anthropometry, self-efficacy, motivation, drug use, use of health services and work participation will be assessed. Secondary aim is to study whether there are any moderators, such as HLCs capacity, expertise, and collaboration with other services, that have significance for participants' change. Also it will be studied whether the HLCs result in larger changes in some subgroups (e.g. socioeconomic) of participants than in others.

Despite advances in HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention, Black youth account for the largest number of new HIV infections among heterosexual youth. Having a mental illness contributes to HIV/STI risk among heterosexually active Black youth, as some use sex as a means to manage psychological distress, regulate emotions and receive validation or acceptance. Current intervention models focus on cognitive-behavioral strategies to reduce risk among adolescents; however, these approaches in isolation do not address the psychopathology that further potentiates risk behaviors among adolescents with mental illnesses. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of "Project GOLD", a theoretically-driven, gender and culturally relevant, developmentally and psychologically appropriate HIV/STI risk reduction intervention on the sexual behaviors of Black male and female adolescents in Philadelphia (aged 14-17). In addition to evidence-based HIV/STI preventions strategies (e.g., role playing), Project GOLD includes unique emotion regulation content to address the relationship between psychological distress and HIV/STI risk behaviors. The research team approached and screened 704 adolescents. Eighty-two participated in the elicitation research activities (e.g., focus groups, intervention dress rehearsal). Another 173 underwent a structured demographic and mental health diagnostic interview to determine RCT eligibility. Project GOLD was then tested with 108 Black youth in comparison to a general health promotion control condition (intervention n = 52; control n = 56). Youth who were not in psychiatric treatment were also included, as the investigators hypothesized that they would also benefit from the targeted psychoeducational content; post-hoc analyses examined differences in the intervention effects based on whether or not youth were in psychiatric treatment. The intervention had high feasibility and acceptability. These findings underscore the need to encourage HIV/STI testing and risk reduction efforts among Black youth, including those with mental illnesses.

The purpose of this project is to evaluate an interactive training program for military-connected caregivers (MCCs) of wounded warriors. The program leverages existing resources and incorporates evidence-based training and peer-based support networks to enhance continuity of care. The program consists of an educational Toolkit (workbook) and an avatar training interaction where an MCC can practice skills learned from the toolkit training with the avatar (how to navigate difficult conversations). This is an educational training evaluation to determine whether or not avatar interaction can effectively improve health outcomes in MCCs.

Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychological disorders, with prevalent onset in childhood and adolescence. While cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is considered the first-line treatment for pediatric anxiety, significant barriers remain in accessing CBT and other evidence-based treatments (EBTs), and credible self-help resources based in EBT concepts. This study evaluates a family-guided CBT game application (Anchors App), targeted to children ages 6-11 and their families, which focuses on delivering adaptive CBT-based coping skills to those who have sub-clinical to mild anxiety and related symptoms in a convenient and portable platform. Anchors App will be evaluated in two forms (standard and "parent-enhanced") in comparison to use of a self-help book or waitlist control. The rapid advancements in technology allows richer interactive capacity, content scalability, customizability, and subscription to a broader range of content, which this app capitalizes on in order to increase access to CBT skill concepts directly to pediatric stakeholder populations. If found to be effective, Anchors App has the opportunity to promote engagement of EBT concepts in every-day use through smartphone technology, and will change the landscape of mental health prevention and early intervention for children and families.