Move&Connect: A Program for Youth With Concussion and Their Caregivers.

Move&Connect: A Holistic Interdisciplinary Program of Care for Youth Experiencing Persistent Symptoms Post-concussion and Their Caregivers

Move&Connect is an interdisciplinary group-based program co-designed with youth and caregivers that provides skills training, mental health support, and psychoeducation to caregivers and combines these tenets with active rehabilitation for youth with concussion.

The overall purpose of this project is to pilot the Move&Connect intervention to examine intervention effects of both Move&Connect youth (M&C-Y) and caregiver (M&C-C) arms in comparison to waitlist control when conducted either virtually or in-person.

M&C-Y is a group-based exercise (active rehabilitation) program designed for youth with persistent post-concussion symptoms (PPCS) to exercise, learn new skills to manage concussion symptoms in daily life, and meet others with similar experiences. Program elements include: Goal setting, icebreakers, a circuit exercise program, and psychoeducation about concussion and symptoms. M&C-Y will be delivered/supervised by an Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist with experience working with youth with concussion.

M&C-C is a group-based psychoeducational support group designed for caregivers who have a child experiencing PPCS. It is designed to provide education centered around advocacy skills, familial and child well-being, and parenting support. M&C-C will be delivered by a Clinical Neuropsychologist and Social Worker with experience working with youth with concussion.

The M&C-Y & M&C-C intervention will both run for six weeks in one of three conditions ((1) direct treatment; (2) virtual treatment; (3) waitlist control). The treatment sessions run once a week and last approximately one hour. Participants will provide electronic consent and complete the pre-intervention (baseline/week 1) measures one week before the intervention begins. Data collection will also occur post-intervention (week 8) and at 3-month follow-up.

Inclusion Criteria Youth:

• Between the ages of 8-21 years old with capacity to provide consent/assent.
• Diagnosed with a concussion by a physician or nurse practitioner and are experiencing concussion symptoms for ≥ 4 weeks post concussion.
• Willing to engage in weekly sessions
• Have access to reliable internet connection.

Inclusion Criteria Caregivers:

• Caregiver to youth experiencing PPCS
• Fluent in English
• Have the capacity to consent
• Have access to a reliable internet connection.

Exclusion Criteria Youth:

• Unable to read and speak English
• Unable to provide informed consent.
• Diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a physical disability (requiring a-mobility device) and and/or intellectual disabilities.
• Diagnosed with a functional neurological disorder (e.g. conversion disorder, somatization, personality disorder) or an acute psychiatric condition (e.g. schizophrenia, suicidality, or a recent hospital admission for another psychiatric condition).

Exclusion Criteria Caregivers:

• Diagnosed with an acute psychiatric condition that resulted in a recent hospital admission (e.g. schizophrenia, suicidality, etc.).