Virtual Peer Health Coaching for Adolescents With Disabilities

Status unconfirmed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida

In brief

Participation in physical activity (PA) confers clear physical and psychosocial benefits. Yet, many adolescents with physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida do not engage in regular PA, putting them at increased risk for the detrimental impact of sedentary lifestyles such as high rates of obesity/overweight - adverse health trends that continue into adulthood. To address this PA gap, a feasibility pilot randomized controlled trial is proposed evaluating the utility of a peer health coach intervention to promote PA participation and to improve outcomes related to self-autonomy, self-efficacy, and quality of life in adolescents with physical disabilities. Peer health coaches will themselves be young adults with disabilities, trained in concepts of motivational interviewing and self-determination theory, enabling them to meet participants "where they are at" in their understanding of PA and readiness to change PA behaviors. This study will be novel given that: 1) for the first time, an adult peer health coaching model targeting PA will be adapted to the needs of adolescents with disabilities, 2) the study will employ text messaging and other social media platforms that are highly relevant to an adolescent population, and 3) the study will assess PA participation with use of ActiGraph activity trackers, designed to monitor both duration and intensity of PA in individuals with mobility impairment. The results of this study will be used to inform the design of a future, definitive RCT evaluating the efficacy of a peer health coaching intervention to create meaningful change in physical and psychosocial outcomes. By empowering adolescents with disabilities to take control of their own physical and psychosocial health, this work has the potential to impact the well-being and quality of life of participants for many years to come.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT05587634

Run by

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

People needed

25

Starts

2020-07-01

Expected to finish

2022-12-31

Last updated by the study team

2022-10-25

Who can join

Age: 12 and older, up to 17. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Adolescents ages 12-17 years
• Primary residence in cities and towns within greater Boston
• Presence of CP or SB resulting in mobility limitation
• CP - Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level II and III
• SB - myelomeningocele, lipomyelomeningocele, or tethered cord syndromes with motor impairment
• Fluent in conversational English
• Able to utilize a personal cell phone for verbal and text message communications
• Intentions of engaging in PA

You may not qualify if…

• Presence of significant cognitive impairment - IQ below 55 as measured by Wechsler Intelligence Score for Children (WISC) or Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), or those below a 3rd grade reading level
• Use of power mobility as the primary form of mobility on a daily basis

Where it is running

• Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital — Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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