YOUCA: A Parent-Focused App to Support Kids’ Mental Health (Pilot Usability & Efficacy)

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This mixed-methods pilot study will enroll about 25 adult parents of children aged 10-17 who are concerned about their child’s mental health. Parents will use the YOUCA app for four weeks and complete pre- and post-use questionnaires to measure usability, satisfaction, and potential effects on parenting skills and parental self-efficacy. The study includes qualitative interviews with parents and a focus group with experts to explore experiences and perceived usefulness. Eligible participants must own a smartphone, reside in Vienna or surrounding areas, and provide informed consent. The lead sponsor is Hochschule Campus Wien, with several collaborators.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Adult (psychological) parents (Age \> 18 years) of children/adolescents aged 10-17
* AND previously/currently concerned about their child's mental health \& therefore seeking information/support
* AND willingness to comply with all study related procedures and provide informed consent
* AND owning a smartphone and willing to use it for installing and testing the YOUCA App within the intervention phase
* AND situated in the City of Vienna or surrounding areas

Exclusion Criteria:

* Lack of consent capacity in parents or acute crisis of the participants. No external expert assessment is conducted. An acute crisis is defined as screened by PHQ-4 score rated from 9 to 12 (Kroenke et al. 2009).
* Insufficient knowledge of German for questionnaire completion, app use and participation in the interview

Inclusion Criteria for Experts in Focus Group

* Active work in the field of psychosocial and mental health in the last three years
* AND working with children / adolescents between age 10 - 17 in the field of psychosocial and mental health
* AND willing to test the app on a private smartphone
* AND at least one year of work experience in respective fields
* AND situated in the City of Vienna or surrounding areas

Where it's running

• Hochschule Campus Wien
  Vienna, Austria Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Carina Hauser — Hochschule Campus Wien (University of Applied Sciences Campus Vienna)
• Study coordinator: Carina Hauser
• Email: carina.hauser@hcw.ac.at
• Phone: +43 1 606 68 77 4383

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.