# Intervention to Prevent Peer Violence & Depressive Symptoms Among At-Risk Adolescents

> **NIH NIH R01** · RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL · 2020 · $636,298

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Adolescent peer violence and depressive symptoms are common, inter-related problems with major long-term
developmental consequences. Accessible, easy-to-disseminate interventions to prevent these problems are a
public health imperative. Existing multi-session preventive interventions are time-consuming and generally
unavailable to the highest-risk youth. Emergency departments (ED) visits are a potential engagement point for
at-risk youth without other access to preventive interventions. ED-initiated brief interventions and text-
messaging interventions show promise in reducing violence and depressive symptoms, and may have greater
reach and greater disseminability than existing interventions. This research project proposes to build on our
prior work, to determine the most potent and parsimonious ED-initiated intervention for reducing peer violence
and depressive symptoms among at-risk youth. We are proposing an innovative, rigorous factorial clinical trial
of a previously piloted two-part intervention with high acceptability and a signal of efficacy. We will enroll 800
adolescents (age 13-17) presenting to the ED for any reason who report past-year peer violence and current
mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms. A major innovation is that we will use a 2x2 factorial randomized trial
to both test overall intervention efficacy, and determine the optimal combination of intervention components.
Participants will be randomized at baseline to 1) Brief ED Intervention (BI) (a 20 minute CBT- and
motivational interviewing intervention during the ED visit) or No BI; and 2) Text (an automated, tailored, two-
way “pushed” text-message curriculum started after the ED visit, reinforcing cognitive reappraisal, emotional
regulation, and self-efficacy skills) or No Text. Reflecting our pilot RCT findings and others' research, Text
participants who do not show signs of improvement at 7 days (based on their daily Text mood assessment) will
be re-randomized at day 7 to either continue standard Text intervention, or to additionally receive LiveText (a
more intensive micro-counseling with a text interventionist). We will measure improvements in peer violence,
depressive symptoms, and potential mediators of effect at 2, 4, 8, and 12 months through validated self-report
measures and medical record review. We intend to determine: (a) the effect of iDOVE (BI + Text) and of each
of its components (BI alone, Text alone), as compared to controls (no BI, no Text) on peer violence and
depressive symptoms; (b) whether adaptively increasing intensity with LiveText improves efficacy for
participants with early signals of no improvement; (c) the role of potential mediators and moderators of
intervention efficacy. SIGNIFICANCE: If all or part of the intervention components show efficacy, this
intervention could have great potential impact on the co-existing, common adolescent conditions of peer
violence and depressive symptoms. This project will also inform understan...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9878897
- **Project number:** 5R01HD093655-03
- **Recipient organization:** RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Megan Larin Ranney
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $636,298
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-03-01 → 2023-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9878897

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9878897, Intervention to Prevent Peer Violence & Depressive Symptoms Among At-Risk Adolescents (5R01HD093655-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9878897. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*