# Technology-Enabled Prevention Service for At-Risk Youth

> **NIH NIH K01** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $171,832

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 Anxiety disorders are the most common class of psychopathology among youth, with nearly a quarter
of adolescents meeting 12-month diagnostic criteria. There is evidence that anxiety prevention programs can
be effective for youth however, they are not widely available or accessible, particularly among underserved
populations where need is greatest. Novel approaches to increase engagement in and access to interventions
that prevent the development and impact of anxiety disorders among are needed. To address these gaps in
the literature, the goals specific to this grant are to use user-centered design methods to engage at-risk
adolescents, providers, and community partnerships into the iterative design of a technology-enabled
prevention service for anxiety (TEPS-A). We will then conduct a randomized pilot trial on the adapted TEPS-A
prototype. Importantly, the proposed study is designed to complement the training program by helping me to
refine relevant research skills while designing and evaluating a TEPS-A among at-risk youth.
 My goal is to harness digital tools to extend reach of preventive interventions to underserved youth in
community settings, and sustainably deploy and evaluate digital tools for adolescents designed to reduce the
incidence of anxiety and related disorders. A comprehensive training plan was therefore constructed to
systematically advance my: 1) expertise in user-centered design methods, 2) aptitude in community-engaged
research with underserved populations, 3) methodological skills related to designing and deploying preventive
interventions, and 4) proficiency in qualitative and longitudinal data analytics. Accomplishment of the training
goals and proposed research project will provide the skills and tools necessary for development of an R01
proposal aimed at testing the efficacy of the TEPS-A among youth within community settings. Consistent with
the goals of the K01 Award, the research opportunities as well as mentorship on conducting digital mental
health research with youth populations from underserved communities will help me become a successful
independent research scientist in the field of digital mental health.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10178115
- **Project number:** 5K01MH121854-02
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Ashley Arehart Knapp
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $171,832
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10178115

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10178115, Technology-Enabled Prevention Service for At-Risk Youth (5K01MH121854-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10178115. Licensed CC0.

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