Leadership

• Kathryn Sabella, Ph.D., Principal Investigator
• Paul Hyry-Dermith, Ph.D., Michelle Munson, Ph.D. and Bo Wang, Ph.D., Co-Investigators

Background

bryt (pronounced “bright”) is a short-term program for high school students with serious mental health conditions (SMHC) who are returning to school after extended absences due to psychiatric hospitalization or intensive outpatient therapy. Such students often feel socially isolated, overwhelmed by academic demands, and report lower levels of school connectedness. Students from large, urban, and low-income communities face even greater challenges persisting in their educational pursuits and developing positive relationships with their schools. Therefore, we will explore the feasibility, appropriateness, and acceptability of bryt specifically with this population of students.

Research Questions

1. In what ways does byrt need to be adapted to better meet the needs of students with SMHC from large, urban, and low-income communities who are returning from an extended absence?
2. Is there preliminary evidence that the adapted bryt is effective in supporting students with SMHC from large, urban, and low-income communities who are returning from an extended absence?
3. What research methods are needed for a future rigorous test of bryt among students with SMHC from large, urban, and low-income communities?  

Research Activities

1. Focus groups will be held with bryt students, families, and bryt coordinators about the needs and experiences of students with SMHC from large, urban, and low-income communities who have received the bryt intervention. The information collected will be used to update the bryt intervention components if needed.
2. After adapting bryt to better meet the needs of students with SMHC from large, urban, and low-income communities, the research team will conduct a pilot feasibility randomized controlled trial of bryt.