Footsteps app to improve behavioral data collection, supervision, and student outcomes
Official title: RCT of a Measurement Feedback App to Improve Data Quality, Supervision & Outcomes in Behavioral Health
Run by University of Pennsylvania · NCT07042347 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 200 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Pennsylvania Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | April 8, 2026 |
| Main results expected | June 30, 2028 |
| Study ends | June 30, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | May 8, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07042347 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a 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.
✕Probably 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.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
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.
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 gone: 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.
Who can join: the full rules
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 it's running
-
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
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Five Digits Test: a quick inhibition test for adults with ADHD or autism
This project will test whether the Five Digits Test is a quick, language-light way to measure inhibition in adults with ADHD or autism.
-
Combined training to improve thinking skills and emotional control for children with ADHD, dyslexia, or autism
This program will test whether a combined training that targets both 'cool' thinking skills (like working memory) and 'hot' emotion-related control can help primary-school children aged 6–11 with ADHD, dyslexia (SpLD), or autism.
-
Spanish-language Unstuck and On Target program for children with autism or ADHD
This program will test whether a Spanish-language version of Unstuck and On Target helps Spanish-speaking caregivers and their 8–11-year-old children with autism and/or ADHD improve executive skills and reduce caregiver strain.
-
Exploring how early life experiences affect brain and behavior
This study looks at how early life experiences like adoption and trauma affect brain development and behavior in young adults to help identify those at risk for mental health issues later on.
-
Comparing Sertraline and Placebo for Treating Anxiety in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders
This study is testing if the medication sertraline can help reduce anxiety in children and teens aged 8-17 with neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and Fragile X syndrome compared to a placebo.
-
Biomarkers that predict medication-related side effects in children with ADHD
This study tests whether combined brain, cognitive, and metabolite markers can predict side effects from methylphenidate in kids with ADHD.
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.