A Feasibility Trial of Power Up

A Feasibility Trial of Power Up: A Smartphone App to Support Young People to Make Shared Decisions in Therapy

There is an increasing demand for digital tools to empower young people with mental health difficulties (NHS England, 2015). Digital information, advice and mood tracking tools are increasingly being used to support child mental health. Evidence suggests that young people want to be active participants in their care and involved in decisions about their treatment. However, there is a lack of digital shared decision making tools available to support young people in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). This study aims to develop Power Up, a smartphone app to empower young people in CAMHS to make their voice heard and to participate more in decisions around their care.

The project will involve two phases:

• Development Phase -Developing Power Up according to the views and ideas expressed by young people, their parents/ carers, and clinicians in Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) sessions. -Conducting interviews and focus groups with 10 young people in CAMHS, 10 parents/ carers and 10 clinicians to review the acceptability of the content and format of Power Up.
• Feasibility testing Phase -Conducting a feasibility trial with 120 young people with emotional difficulties, aged 11-19 years, from three London CAMHS. 60 young people will receive treatment as usual and 60 will use Power Up alongside treatment as usual. Participant's ratings of empowerment, activation, and symptoms will be measured soon after their referral to the service. The same measures plus shared decision making questionnaires will be administered three months later.

The findings will inform the planning of a prospective cluster controlled trial. More broadly this trial will contribute an understanding of the feasibility and acceptability of developing and implementing a shared decision making app into CAMHS.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Recently been referred to CAMHS (pre - first appointment)
• Presenting with emotional difficulties
• Clinician will have confirmed that the young person does not have any vulnerability which would make taking part in the study inappropriate to their context