Funding Source and Project Period: NICHD, 2005-2013

Key HIV Center Personnel:

Laurie Bauman, Ph.D.

Project Overview:

(from abstract)

The Preventive Intervention Research Center has been the lead agency for a Bronx community coalition, led by adolescents, "Albert's Leaders of Tomorrow" (A.L.O.T.). It used CPBR to identify mental health disparities as the most important to address among minority inner-city adolescents, and with a Coalition of 48 community agencies, it developed BxThunder, a mental health intervention. This study is a randomized controlled trial of BxThunder in 3 community agencies: Mosholu-Montefiore Community Center, Wildcat Academy, and Citizen's Advice Bureau. 

The Specific Aims are to test the hypotheses that compared to control teens: (1) teens in BxThunder will experience fewer mental health symptoms; (2) teens in BxThunder will experience a greater increase in positive mental health; (3) teens with psychological problems in BxThunder are more likely to have a successful referral for care, and are more likely to complete treatment; (4) teens in BxThunder with psychological problems will experience a larger reduction in psychological symptoms; (5) the BxCAM workshop will increase knowledge and decrease stigma among those who attend, as measured by change in pre-test and post-test measures of workshop attendees.