MentorHub: A Supportive Accountability Tool for MHapps

项目摘要/摘要(30行) 在美国，1500万儿童和青少年需要心理服务；但只有三分之一的儿童和青少年接受了心理服务 任何类型的心理服务。更少的人接受与循证指南一致的护理 以获取最佳实践。随着新冠肺炎疫情的负面影响，这一差距急剧拉大 儿童的心理健康，再加上以学校为基础的心理健康服务的中断。精神健康 应用程序(MHapp)显示出早期的承诺，可以缓解轻度到中度的情绪障碍，如焦虑和 抑郁，同时改善更广泛的功能领域，包括学术参与和社交 能力。这些MHapp旨在通过提供有针对性的、以技能为基础的 以互动性和可访问性的形式编写课程。不幸的是，到目前为止，MHapp的潜力一直有限 参与度低、使用不当、未完成率高。 有爱心的成年人可以通过行为科学家所说的 “支持性责任”--即定期签到、监控、故障排除和其他交互。 几项研究强调了支持性责任和用户之间的积极联系 参与度、登录次数、交互工具的使用和结果。事实上，他们已经通过 在指导下，技术提供的干预措施的效果与面对面获得的效果相当 干预措施。相比之下，自我指导项目产生的好处相对较少。此外，这些研究 研究发现，当年轻人得到临床医生的支持时，结果与日常护理的成年人没有区别。 有证据表明，人的支持提高了电子健康干预的有效性和坚持性， 我们开发了一个软件框架(MentorHub)来协调部署并监控 基于证据的MHapp。我们预计MentorHub将在青年服务组织中广泛使用(例如， 青年辅导方案)和以学校为基础的环境(如中学和专上学校)。 第一阶段的拟议研究将进一步(目标1)改进MentorHub产品以建立可用性(UI/UX) 以及(目标2)确定该产品对青年的影响 心理健康结果(心理疾病风险的跨诊断指标，内化和外化 症状学，以及更广泛的青年功能指标)。试验性RCT研究将测试短期内 该产品在全国青年指导组织(Big Brothers Big Sisters New York)中的功效，并涉及 300名参与者(75对导师/被辅导者随机分为试验组和75名导师-被辅导者 对/二联体随机分配给对照组)。到第一阶段结束时，我们将准备好测试产品 在老大哥大姐妹的各个地点和新的校本环境中进行全国测试。到阶段结束时 第二，我们期待一个功能齐全、经过评估的产品可以商业化。

Project Summary/Abstract (30 lines) In the United States, 15 million children and adolescents need psychological services; yet only one-third receive psychological services of any kind. Even fewer receive care that is consistent with evidence-based guidelines for best practices. This gap has widened dramatically with the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of children, combined with disruptions to school-based mental health services. Mental Health Apps (MHapps) show early promise to alleviate mild to moderate forms of emotional disorders like anxiety and depression, while improving broader domains of functioning, including academic engagement and social competence. These MHapps are designed to promote youth mental health by delivering targeted, skills-based curricula in an interactive and accessible format. Unfortunately, the potential for MHapps has thus far been limited by low engagement, improper use, and high rates of noncompletion. Caring adults can help boost youth engagement in MHapps through what behavioral scientists refer to as “supportive accountability”—that is, regular check-ins, monitoring, troubleshooting, and other interactions. Several studies have highlighted the positive associations between supportive accountability and user engagement, number of logins, use of interactive tools, and outcomes. In fact, they have shown that, with guidance, the effects of technology-delivered interventions are comparable to those obtained in face-to-face interventions. By contrast, self-guided programs have yielded relatively fewer benefits. Moreover, the studies have found no difference in outcomes when youth were supported by clinicians versus everyday caring adults. Based on evidence that effectiveness and adherence to eHealth interventions is enhanced by human support, we developed a software framework (MentorHub) that coordinates the deployment and monitors the use of evidence-based MHapps. We anticipate that MentorHub will be widely used in youth-serving organizations (e.g., youth mentoring programs) and school based settings (e.g., secondary and post-secondary schools). The proposed research in Phase I will further (Aim 1) refine the MentorHub Product to establish usability (UI/UX) and feasibility in a large, youth mentoring program; and (Aim 2) determine the impact of the Product on youth mental health outcomes (transdiagnostic indicators of risk for mental illness, internalizing and externalizing symptomatology, and broader indicators of youth functioning). The pilot RCT study will test the short-term efficacy of the product in a national youth mentoring organization (Big Brothers Big Sisters New York) and involve 300 participants (75 mentor-mentee pairs/dyads randomized to the test group and 75 mentor-mentee pairs/dyads randomized to the control group). By the end of Phase I, we will have a tested product ready for national testing across Big Brother Big Sisters locations and in new school-based settings. By the end of Phase II, we anticipate a fully functioning and evaluated product ready for commercialization.