Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT05146167

Feasibility Testing a Meditation App for Youth in the Legal System

This feasibility clinical trial aims to assess the feasibility of implementing a 1-month app-based meditation program with youth in the juvenile legal system. The primary questions it is designed to answer are:

1. Will youth adequately adhere to the 1-month meditation app? 2. Is it feasible to collect data remotely from youth on their self-reported cannabis use, sexual health, and mental health at baseline, 1, and 6 months?

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Behavioral Health

Age range

13 year–18 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago, Illinois, 60612, United States

About this study

The investigators aim enroll 100 youth in Cook County, IL 13-18 years old who report regular access to an Apple or Android smartphone. Following completion of a baseline questionnaire, participants will be individually randomized at a 1:1 ratio to 1 of 2 smartphone app conditions: (1) Bodhi AIM (Action In Mindfulness), a 30-day meditation app or (2) HIB (Health In Balance), a health promotion control app matched to Bodhi AIM for time and structure. Follow-up assessments will occur at 1 and 6 months. All study activities will be remote.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • 13-18 years old
  • In probation programming (i.e., in legal programming but not detained) in Cook County, IL
  • Have access to an Apple/Android smartphone
  • Understand and provide assent/consent
  • Have legal guardian permission (if under 18 years old)
  • English-speaking, due to norming of instruments

Treatment and study plan

Bodhi AIM (intervention group)

Behavioral

Bodhi AIM (Action In Mindfulness) is a smartphone-based app that teaches users to establish a daily meditation practice via a 30-day "path," with each day consisting of a brief audio- or video-guided file. In addition to the 30 daily path files, users have access to a menu of "to go" audio-guided meditation practices that they may access any time to prepare for particular situations (e.g., attending a party).

HIB (control group)

Behavioral

HIB (Health In Balance) is a smartphone-based app that is matched to Bodhi AIM for time and structure, but includes health promotion content (e.g., educational information on substance use) in place of the meditation content featured in Bodhi AIM. Like Bodhi AIM, HIB includes a 30-day "path" of audio and video files, along with a menu of "to go" audio files that users may access any time to review key intervention concepts.

Primary outcomes

  1. App adherence

    Time frame: 1 month

    Days of objective app usage

  2. Percentage of participants who complete the cannabis use measure at each time point

    Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, 6 months

    Cannabis use is measured with the Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test-Revised

  3. Percentage of participants who complete the sexual health measure at each time point

    Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, 6 months

    Sexual health is measured with a modified version of the AIDS Risk Behavior Assessment

  4. Percentage of participants who complete the mental health symptoms measure at each time point

    Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, 6 months

    Mental health symptoms are measured with the Youth Self Report

Secondary outcomes

  1. Percentage of participants who complete other substance use measures at each time point

    Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, 6 months

    The other substance use measures include the Young Adult Alcohol Problem Scale, the Alcohol Trouble Scale, the Hangover Symptoms Scale, and a modified Substance Use Self-Efficacy Scale

  2. Percentage of participants who complete other mental health measures at each time point

    Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, 6 months

    The other mental health measures include the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire, the Short-Form Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, the Negative Mood Regulation Scale, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10, and the Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire-15

Other outcomes

  1. Percentage of participants who complete other outcome measures at each time point

    Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, 6 months

    The other outcome measures include self-reported legal system involvement (e.g., frequencies of arrests and detainments), the UCLA PTSD Rating Index, and the Digital Working Alliance Inventory (measured at 1 month and 6 months only)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Illinois at Chicago

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Registry information

Official study title

Reducing HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Risk Behaviors Among Juvenile Offenders on Probation: A Mobile Mindfulness-Based Intervention

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Dec 6, 2021
Registry last updated
Nov 10, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.