Footsteps app to improve behavioral data collection, supervision, and student outcomes
RCT of a Measurement Feedback App to Improve Data Quality, Supervision & Outcomes in Behavioral Health
This test will see if a smartphone app called Footsteps helps school aides collect better behavior data and improves outcomes for students aged 3–17 who receive one-to-one support.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 200 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Pennsylvania Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
| Trial ID | NCT07042347 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Researchers will randomize one-to-one school aides to use either the Footsteps app, which combines smartphone data entry with feedback and behavioral-economics strategies, or a control app that only collects data. Aides will record de-identified behavioral data for students with diagnoses linked to challenging behavior while supervisors use the platform for communication and oversight. Primary outcomes include data quality metrics (consistency, timeliness, completeness), youth behavioral measures (e.g., SDQ, YTP), and supervisory communication processes. The trial recruits supervisor–aide dyads from community behavioral health agencies and is conducted at the University of Pennsylvania.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal participants are school-aged students (about 3–17 years) with diagnoses associated with challenging behavior (e.g., autism, ADHD, ODD) who receive one-to-one aide support, along with their aide and supervising clinician.
Not a fit: Students who do not receive one-to-one aide support, adults, or settings without smartphone access are unlikely to benefit from this app-based approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, Footsteps could produce more reliable behavioral data, streamline supervision, and lead to better behavioral outcomes for students receiving one-to-one aide support.
How similar studies have performed: Measurement-feedback and mobile data-collection tools have shown benefits in other mental health settings, but applying these methods specifically to one-to-one school aides and supervisors is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Aides must be working with at least one client in school who meets the following criteria: 1) between 3-17 years, 2) has a diagnosis associated with a challenging behavior (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder) as indicated on their treatment plan, and 3) receiving 1:1 aide support. * Supervisors must be employed by a community behavior health agency and supervise a participating aide. The investigators will recruit supervisors in dyads and not triads (i.e., no supervisors with two \[or more\] aides) to ensure there are 30 supervisor-aide dyads in total). Exclusion Criteria: * Aides who participated in the pilot trial of the Footsteps will be excluded from participating to recruit a sample naïve to Footsteps and the control app.
Where this trial is running
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Heather J Nuske, PhD — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Heather J Nuske, PhD
- Email: heather.nuske@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
- Phone: (215) 746-6041
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.