Supporting adolescent girls through family involvement to prevent mental illness.

Sibling-Support for Adolescent Girls (SSAGE): A whole-family, gendertransformative approach to preventing mental illness among forcibly displaced adolescent girls

NIH-funded research Washington University · NIH-10730656

This study is working to support young girls in Colombia who have been forced to leave their homes by involving their families, especially their brothers, in a program aimed at keeping their mental health strong and happy.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionWashington University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Saint Louis, United States)
Project IDNIH-10730656 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on helping forcibly displaced adolescent girls in Colombia by involving their families, particularly male siblings, in a program designed to prevent mental health issues. The project will adapt a curriculum through collaboration with various stakeholders, including refugees and civil society organizations, to ensure it meets the needs of the community. A randomized control trial will be conducted to test the program's effectiveness and understand how it can be implemented successfully. The goal is to create a supportive environment that promotes mental well-being among these vulnerable girls.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are recently displaced adolescent girls from Venezuela living in Colombia.

Not a fit: Patients who are not forcibly displaced or who do not fall within the adolescent age range may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce the incidence of mental illness among displaced adolescent girls and improve their overall mental health.

How similar studies have performed: Similar approaches have shown promise in addressing mental health issues in displaced populations, but this specific intervention is innovative and tailored to the unique challenges faced by adolescent girls.

Where this research is happening

Saint Louis, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Mental disordersMental health disordersPsychiatric DiseasePsychiatric Disorder
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.