This supplement seeks to expand the Collaborative R01 on Lay-delivered Behavioral Activation in Senior Centers for clients whose preferred language is Spanish. The aims are to translate DMFB intervention materials and and test the effect of Spanish DMFB in comparison to professionally-delivered BA (Clinician BA) among older senior center clients on increased activity level and decreased depressive symptoms.
Funding Type: Federal
Needs Assessment for Supporting Technology use and Harm Reduction (STaHR Study)
The proposed study entails a needs assessment to develop a program for Supporting Technology use and Harm Reduction (STaHR) among HF residents with lived experience of homelessness and substance use. This study will qualitatively explore HF residents’ technology literacy as well as their perspectives on barriers and facilitators to the use of technology, broadly, and for harm-reduction service provision. Then, with a community advisory board (CAB) made up of HF residents, staff, and management, we will inform and provide recommendations to HF management and leadership ways to improve HF resident technology use and engagement with online harm-reduction services.
eHaRT-A: adapting an in-person harm reduction for alcohol intervention into a telehealth platform
The unprecedented global pandemic has highlighted the digital divide and limited access to alcohol-related treatments among marginalized communities, specifically individuals with lived experience of homelessness. In line with the NIAAA health initiative seeking to integrate technology-based interventions among vulnerable populations, this study directly addresses this mission by proposing innovative methods (i.e., user-centered design + a community based participatory research framework) to adapt an in-person harm reduction for alcohol (HaRT-A) intervention into a telehealth platform (eHaRT-A) that can then be tested and successfully implemented into low-barrier Housing First settings. As healthcare continues to move more services online, it is essential to understand ways to successfully adapt and implement rigorously tested telehealth treatment services for marginalized communities to ameliorate alcohol-related harms.
Trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS) for ADHD
TNS uses a device to send currents into the brain and stimulate the trigeminal nerve. This method has proven effective to treat depression and other psychiatric disorders. The research team is working to understand if this approach could help improve executive function and reduce symptoms of ADHD.
Previous studies have shown that this is effective for about half of people with ADHD. Our research team is working to better understand for whom this therapy might be most effective and if this could be a viable new treatment for ADHD.
Please contact us at tnsstudy@seattlechildrens.org.
Treating Parents and Children with ADHD (TPAC)
ADHD often runs in families. The TPAC study focuses on parents with ADHD who also have a child with the disorder, aiming to open the door to new ADHD treatments for adults and children. All parents in the study receive training that uses behavior modification techniques and reward-based interventions to improve communication, increase compliance and reduce negative interactions between parents and children. This training is offered in nine sessions via telehealth. Some parents in the study will also receive medication for ADHD.
This ADHD study aims to understand if treating the parent with medicine and/or parent training could reduce the need for medicine in young children, especially because children under six generally don’t respond well to medication. The theory with this approach is that parents with ADHD are more prone to being distracted and disorganized, and they are much less likely to receive treatment than children. If we can first help parents with ADHD, they may be more successful in implementing behavioral training to help their child.
Because a lot of ADHD research is conducted in white, middle-class families, our lab has added an additional piece to this study, focused on better serving under-resourced families. These families cover a broader range of ethnic groups and a larger geographic area. This research aims to reduce barriers to diagnosis and treatment, and include a wider range of participants in clinical trials. The goal of this work is to collect more data about how to best serve these groups and ultimately improve treatment and care in more diverse communities.
TPAC is a hybrid implementation study, meaning that it evaluates how well the treatment works and the impact on the region and providers. Twice a year, we have a focus group with pediatricians, social workers and parents that have been through this study to evaluate results. This collaborative approach aims to build a model for more multidisciplinary care and ultimately improve ADHD care across our state and beyond.
Interested in hearing more about this study? Please contact us at tpac@seattlechildrens.org.
G2MH: Genes to Mental Health
This study is looking at individuals who carry a rare gene event and their biological family members, with the the goal of exploring the differences between individuals with one of these gene events and their biological family members.
TIGER: The Investigation of Genetic Exome Research
In the TIGER research study, we are learning more about individuals with genetic events associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID), and/or developmental delay (DD) in order to better describe how different gene disruptions impact behavior in children and adults.
Autism Intervention Network on Behavioral Health (AIR-B)
The purpose of this multi-site study is to develop and evaluate a multi-phase implementation and sustainment strategy to support evidence-based practice use across different interventions for individuals with autism, settings, and ages.
*In partnership with UCLA, UC Davis, Rochester, Penn, Drexel, and Kansas
Autism Community Toolkit: Systems to Measure and Adopt Research-Based Treatments- Educational Redesign (ACT SMARTER)
The aims of the current project are to: 1) Engage stakeholders to identify targets for ACT SMART redesign to optimize its fit for middle and high school providers who serve autistic adolescents; 2) Conduct prototyping and usability field testing of the redesigned ACT SMART and iteratively refine to ensure usability, feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness for use in schools.
Developing a digital training resource for clinicians learning CBT for psychosis (CBTpro)
The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Training Study will rigorously test CBTpro — a novel tool that uses spoken language technologies and conversational Artificial Intelligence to train behavioral health practitioners in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. We conducted a 2-week field trial, followed by a Randomized Clinical Trail in community mental health agencies to evaluate both learner and client outcomes. The study aims to expand global access to CBT training to students and practitioners, support quality psychological treatments for clients with a range of behavioral health disorders (including Serious Mental Illness), and support ongoing clinical quality assurance in routine care settings.
