# Technology-Enhanced Family-Focused Treatment for Adolescents at High Risk for Mood Disorders

> **NIH NIH R34** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2020 · $273,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 This proposal responds to RFA-MH-17-612, “Pilot Effectiveness Trials for Treatment,
Preventive and Services Interventions (R34).” We have shown in several randomized trials that
family-focused therapy (FFT) for symptomatic youth at high-risk for bipolar disorder - consisting
of psychoeducation and family communication and problem solving skills training - is an effective
adjunct to pharmacotherapy in hastening symptomatic recovery. However, between 50%-60% of
high-risk youth still have residual mood symptoms and functional impairment after 18 weeks of
FFT. In our prior studies, two constructs have emerged as predictors of lack of response to
treatment: mood instability in the child and expressed emotion (EE) in parents (i.e., frequent
critical comments or hostility). In adolescents (ages 12-18) with a parent with bipolar disorder or
major depressive disorder, we hypothesize that augmenting FFT with frequent and targeted
interventions in the home setting through a Smartphone app (MyCoachConnect, or MCC) will (a)
have a greater and more rapid impact than standard FFT on the targeted mechanisms of mood
instability in adolescents and EE in parents, and (b) as a result, enhance symptom resolution and
functioning in adolescents. To be eligible, adolescents must score high on parent-rated measures
of mood instability, and have at least one parent who is high-EE by speech sample coding criteria.
The MCC app will record weekly open speech samples from parents and children and daily and
weekly mood ratings from adolescents. The app assessments will be fed back to the FFT clinician,
who will use this information to “push” recommendations for mood regulation, communication,
and problem-solving strategies (linked to the FFT modules) for parents and youth. In year 1, we
will conduct an open trial (n=25) to determine (a) the feasibility and acceptability of FFT with
mobile coaching (FFT-MCC), as given by clinicians in community settings, and (b) associations
between online/speech feature proxies of the targets (mood instability and EE as measured
weekly by MCC) and standard measures of the targets. In years 2 and 3 we will conduct a 75-
case RCT in which families are assigned to FFT with MCC skills coaching, FFT with MCC
assessments only, with no coaching; or FFT Only, without MCC. We hypothesize that FFT-MCC
will be acceptable to parents, adolescents and clinicians, and more effective than FFT without
MCC coaching or FFT-Only in engaging the targets of mood instability and EE and promoting
improvements in adolescents' mood symptoms and quality of life over 27 weeks. The study will
facilitate the translation of a technological augmentation to an evidence-based family intervention,
with the goal of increasing treatment access among families with mood disorders.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9940913
- **Project number:** 5R34MH117200-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** ARMEN C AREVIAN
- **Activity code:** R34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $273,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-08-16 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9940913

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9940913, Technology-Enhanced Family-Focused Treatment for Adolescents at High Risk for Mood Disorders (5R34MH117200-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9940913. Licensed CC0.

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