Preliminary Trial of an Avatar Guided Digital Intervention for Emerging Adults
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a novel digital avatar (virtual coach) support program can help emerging adults ages 18-29 who present to the emergency department with suicidal thoughts and alcohol misuse (EA-Avatar). The study also aims to learn whether people find the program easy to use and wheth
| Condition(s) | Binge Alcohol Consumption, Suicidal Ideation |
|---|---|
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | NA |
| Study type | Interventional |
| Summary | The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a novel digital avatar (virtual coach) support program can help emerging adults ages 18-29 who present to the emergency department with suicidal thoughts and alcohol misuse (EA-Avatar). The study also aims to learn whether people find the program easy to use and whether daily surveys and the study design are able to be completed by the majority of emerging adult participants. The main questions this study aims to answer are: * Do participants use the digital program and find it helpful? * Is it possible for participants to complete daily surveys for twenty-eight days and follow-up surveys over twelve weeks? * Are there early signs that the program may help lower alcohol use and suicidal thoughts? Researchers will compare participants who |
| Who can participate | Inclusion Criteria: * (1) emergency department admission for alcohol- or suicide-related reason since turning 18, OR treated for incidental suicide risk in the emergency department * (2) aged 18-29 * (3) speak, read, and understand English * (4) binge drinking in the past month OR alcohol use problems (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test score \> 5) * (5) active suicidal ideation in the past month * (6) owning and having access to a personal smartphone * (7) willingness to be randomized to an avatar guided intervention for alcohol use problems and suicidal thoughts OR a freely available suicide safety planning app * (8) for remote MyChart-based recruitment only, have MyChart activated Exclusion Criteria: * (1) severe cognitive delay, active psychosis, or heavy intoxication that precl |
| Ages | 18 Years to 29 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Lead sponsor | University of Massachusetts, Worcester |
| Locations | Marlborough, Massachusetts, United States; Worcester, Massachusetts, United States |
| Start date | 2026-05-18 |
| NCT ID | NCT07418047 |
| Official listing | https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07418047 |