Good Shepherd: Back to Reality Series

Not Applicable

Completed

Interventions: Other: Back to Reality Series Video Games
Other: Control Video Game

Brief Summary: The purpose of this pilot study is to explore whether the Back to Reality series of video games - Harry's Journey, Harry's Journal, and Pathways to care map - increase knowledge of the emotional, social, and psychiatric sequelae of problematic underage marijuana use among homeless and street involved youth. Additional objectives were to explore whether the video games promote awareness of the risk of psychosis associated with regular marijuana use among vulnerable youth.

Detailed Description: This project pilots the use of educational video games designed to help youth gain awareness of the risk of mental health issues associated with regular marijuana use. By playing the Back to Reality video games, youths may absorb knowledge about where and how to access community care for symptoms associated with psychosis and problematic cannabis use. The purpose of this study is to pilot test the use of the Back to Reality series at increasing awareness of the social and emotional implications of underage substance use.

This study explores the effects of the Back to Reality video games compared to control video games (no content about mental health and addiction). Street involved and homeless youth registered with Good Shepherd services between the ages of 16 and 19 years of age will be recruited. The results will be assessed using quantitative questionnaires and qualitative interviews. The data will be statistically analyzed for significant differences in knowledge about the risk of psychosis linked to marijuana use among vulnerable youth. The qualitative interview assesses the participants understanding and views of potential emotional, social, and psychiatric sequelae associated with excessive marijuana use during.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

Youth judged by Good Shepherd staff to be at serious suicidal risk.
Youth who are being discharged from Good Shepherd programming.
Youth who are currently admitted in an in-patient unit at a hospital.
Youth who scores 5 or more on the Video Game Playing Problems questionnaire (Teijeiro Salguero & Bersabé-Morán, 2002).
Youth who do not have the capacity to provide informed consent.

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Psychoeducational video games	Back to Reality Series Video Games	Participants in this group will play the Back to Reality Series video games: (1) Harry's Journey which delivers experiential knowledge about psychosis and marijuana use; (2) Harry's Journal which challenges their understanding of 12 psychiatric symptoms associated with psychosis and (3) the PathwaysToCare Map which uses colourful 3D images and voice-overs to depict actual mental health and addictions services for youth available in Hamilton. These in
Control video game	Control Video Game	The control video game is a spelling/memory quiz involving with themes from pop culture. The control game will not provide any education about mental health and addictions issues It should be noted that all participants will play both sets of games during their initial and only visit. Participants are randomized to determine which game they will play first during this visit. This is not an RCT or a crossover design. There is no follow up or clinical assessments.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Early Psychosis Literacy	1.5 hour -Post video game playing	Assess for significant differences in the responses between randomized intervention (Back to Reality series) group versus a control game group with respect to Early Psychosis Literacy measure. Effect will be tested at a 2-sided α level of 0.05.
Psychosis and Cannabis Quiz	1.5 hour -Post video game playing	Assess for significant differences in the responses between randomized intervention (Back to Reality series) group versus a control game group with respect to Psychosis and Cannabis Quiz measure. Effect will be tested at a 2-sided α level of 0.05.
Video Game Frequency	1.5 hour -Post video game playing	Assess for significant differences in the responses between randomized intervention (Back to Reality series) group versus a control game group with respect to Video Game Frequency measure. Effect will be tested at a 2-sided α level of 0.05.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method