Emotional Empowerment and Lifelong Strength for young Black adults
Official title: Co-Producing a Trauma and Substance Use Mental Health Literacy Intervention
Run by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey · NCT07378254 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This pilot will try a 12-week, culturally tailored mental health education program to help young Black adults with past trauma better understand and manage trauma- and substance use–related mental health concerns.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 35 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 80 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Piscataway, New Jersey) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 10, 2026 |
| Main results expected | June 2028 |
| Study ends | June 2028 |
| Registry record updated | June 18, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07378254 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal participants are English-speaking Black or African American adults aged 18–35 who report past lifetime trauma and can attend weekly group sessions and study assessments.
✕Probably not a fit
People who do not identify as Black/African American, are outside the 18–35 age range, cannot attend in-person weekly sessions, have no lifetime trauma exposure, or require immediate clinical treatment for severe substance use or acute psychiatric instability are unlikely to benefit from this educational pilot.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The study will co-produce a culturally tailored mental health literacy intervention with a Community Advisory Board using the Theory of Planned Behavior and the social ecological model as guides. The program consists of 12 weekly group education sessions designed to target beliefs and resources at individual, interpersonal, organizational, and community levels. The intervention will be piloted in a single-arm design among English-speaking Black young adults with lifetime trauma exposure, with assessments at baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention and randomly invited post-study focus groups for participant feedback.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could increase mental health knowledge, reduce stigma, and improve help-seeking and service use for trauma- and substance use–related concerns among young Black adults.
How similar studies have gone: Culturally tailored mental health literacy programs have shown promising improvements in knowledge and help-seeking in some populations, but targeted pilots for trauma and substance use specifically among young Black adults remain limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Self-identify as Black or African American 2. Be between the ages of 18 and 35 years old 3. Endorse previous lifetime trauma exposure 4. Participants must speak English 5. Participants are capable of giving informed consent and capable of complying with study procedures.
Where it's running
-
Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies
Piscataway, New Jersey, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Alexandria Bauer, PhD
- Email: alexandria.bauer@rutgers.edu
- Phone: 848-209-1032
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.