Altitudes: A Digital Intervention to Support Caregivers

NCT ID: NCT06509100

Last Updated: 2026-01-08

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 17 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-09-03
• Study Completion Date: 2025-08-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the feasibility, accessibility, and potential clinical benefits of implementing a moderated online social media platform with therapeutic content, Altitudes, to parents, caregivers, and supporters of young people with psychosis across the state of North Carolina, including in Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) programs, Specialized Treatment Early in Psychosis (STEP) programs, and other community services where caregivers or supporters of young persons experiencing psychosis receive care. The investigators will evaluate acceptability and feasibility with up to 50 caregivers and supporters over the course of 6 months. Acceptability and usability will be assessed with various acceptability measures with the Altitudes caregivers and supporters, and caregivers and supporters' engagement with the digital platform. The investigators will additionally evaluate the impact of the platform on caregiver and supporter's psychological status, well-being, and social support, as measured via self-report questionnaires.

Detailed Description

Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the feasibility, accessibility, and potential clinical benefits of implementing a moderated online social media platform with therapeutic content, Altitudes, to parents, caregivers, and supporters of young people with psychosis across the state of North Carolina, including in CSC programs, STEP programs, and other community services where caregivers or supporters of young persons experiencing psychosis receive care.

Participants: Fifty parent or supporter participants from CSC clinics (OASIS, SHORE, Eagle, Encompass, AEGIS, and WeCare2), STEP programs, or community services will be recruited for Altitudes.

Procedures (methods): All participants will be recruited over a 20-week to 28-week period at from the North Carolina's community services. Participants will engaged with the digital platform, known as Altitudes, for approximately 6 months. Site usage information as well as feedback about their experience will be collected from these participants through the Altitudes platform. Site usage information (e.g., number of posts/comments made on the site, the number and types of 'Journeys' or 'Tracks' [psychoeducation and therapeutic content] completed by participants, etc.) will be collected automatically through the Altitudes platform. Before being given access to Altitudes, a research coordinator, family peer support specialist, or moderator will provide instructions and guidance for using the site (i.e., Altitudes onboarding). Experiences, wellbeing, and support measures will be collected at baseline, mid-treatment (~3 months) and post-treatment (~6 months) for the Altitudes participants. As Altitudes involves psychoeducational and therapeutic content, this platform is considered an adjunct to care parents and supporters may be receiving. As such, Altitudes participants will not be compensated for their involvement in the platform. Site usage information will be collected automatically through the Altitudes site. However, Altitudes participants will be compensated for providing feedback about their experience with Altitudes as well as for completing other assessments. Finally, Altitudes will be monitored at least once daily by trained family peer support specialists, master's or Ph.D. level clinicians, and/or graduate students with relevant clinical/research experience with individuals experiencing psychosis and their supporters. Dr. Emily Parsons, trained clinical psychologist and family therapist, will lead bi-weekly supervision calls to ensure appropriate care and support of Altitudes participants involved in this project, to discuss case conceptualization and suggestions for engaging individuals in the platform, as well as to monitor any potential safety concerns.

Conditions

Care Burden; Care Giving Burden; Caregiver Burnout; Caregiver Stress; Caregiver Wellbeing; Support, Family

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Altitudes Condition

Individuals whose loved ones are experiencing first-episode psychosis (FEP) and receiving services from OASIS, SHORE, Eagle, Encompass, AEGIS, and WeCare2), STEP programs, or community services will be recruited to participate in a digital platform, Altitudes, for 6 months as part of an adjunct service to the clinic's services. Participants will have access to and encouraged to use the educational and therapeutic content as well as the moderated online community network during their time engaging with the platform. They will be asked to complete a battery of measures at baseline, 3-months, and 6 months.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Device: Altitudes USA

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Experimental participants will be onboarded to the digital platform, including the different spaces and how to use the site. The site includes educational and therapeutic content that is tailored to each individual and their current needs and experiences, including psychoeducation, supporting their loved one, self- care, social support, and so on. Further, the platform includes a moderated social media function, where users and family peer workers can post text, images, videos, and comments to connect and share their experiences. The site is monitored by graduated students and trained clinicians.

Interventions

Device: Altitudes USA

Experimental participants will be onboarded to the digital platform, including the different spaces and how to use the site. The site includes educational and therapeutic content that is tailored to each individual and their current needs and experiences, including psychoeducation, supporting their loved one, self- care, social support, and so on. Further, the platform includes a moderated social media function, where users and family peer workers can post text, images, videos, and comments to connect and share their experiences. The site is monitored by graduated students and trained clinicians.

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• The participants must be a parent, caregiver, or supporter of a young person who is currently receiving treatment from a CSC program for FEP or STEP clinic, on the waitlist to receive services from the CSC, who has recently graduated/discharged from a CSC program, or was referred to the study from the community (via Early Psychosis Interventions of North Carolina (EPI-NC) warm line, community psychiatrist/therapist, or inpatient/outpatient mental health services) where young person is experiencing psychosis but was not referred or enrolled in CSC
• Parent, caregiver, or supporter must be > 18 years of age
• Participants recruited from NC CSC programs (i.e., OASIS, SHORE, Encompass, Eagle, AEGIS, WeCare2), STEP programs, and the community screening process
• Parent, caregiver, or supporter must have access to internet through a mobile phone, tablet, or computer

Exclusion Criteria

• Parent or caregiver is currently engaged in legal action against the loved one experiencing psychosis
• Parent or caregiver does not speak and understand English as the platform, its moderation, interviews, and measures are available only in English
• Parent, caregiver, or supporter is <18 years of age

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 99 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Kelsey R Ludwig, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Diana Perkins, MD, MPH

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Locations

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States

Countries

United States

Provided Documents

Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Document Type: Informed Consent Form

View Document

Other Identifiers

24-1141

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id