Individualized Vocational and Educational Support and Training for Clinical High Risk for Psychosis (InVEST)
School or Work Coaching Study
InVEST is a school and work coaching program designed to help teens and young adults meet their school and work goals. In InVEST, participants can learn different skills and strategies that may help them identify and meet their goals by developing organization skills and strategies to manage stress and procrastination.
Fast Facts
Recent changes like your eyes and ears playing tricks or confusion about reality
12-22 Years Old
Coaching and Compensation Provided
Conducted in Massachusetts
Study Background
Are you experiencing changes like your eyes and ears playing tricks or confusion about reality? Are those changes making school and work tasks overwhelming for you?
The InVEST study is part of a collaboration of research studies that work with youth and young adults who are experiencing recent changes in their thinking, mood, and/or behavior that suggest they may be at Clinical High Risk for developing psychosis.
We all probably carry some risk for psychosis, but some factors make people at higher risk than others. Although we cannot yet predict with certainty who will and will not develop psychosis over time, we may have an opportunity to help someone not develop psychosis if we see them early enough. The InVEST study is specifically aimed at helping support teens and young adults who have a higher risk of psychosis by providing one-on-one coaching to help them meet school or work goals.
Sessions begin by assessing the participant’s goals, noting any difficulties with procrastinating, dealing with stress, or organizing their time. Sessions are then based on the specific needs of each person. For younger participants, coaches can communicate and collaborate with the client’s individual therapist, school counselor, and family to build a team to support the participant in achieving these goals.
If you think you might be eligible, or aren’t sure, please contact us for a free pre-screening with our trained clinician.
Study Background
Are you experiencing changes like your eyes and ears playing tricks or confusion about reality? Are those changes making school and work tasks overwhelming for you?
The InVEST study is part of a collaboration of research studies that work with youth and young adults who are experiencing recent changes in their thinking, mood, and/or behavior that suggest they may be at Clinical High Risk for developing psychosis.
We all probably carry some risk for psychosis, but some factors make people at higher risk than others. Although we cannot yet predict with certainty who will and will not develop psychosis over time, we may have an opportunity to help someone not develop psychosis if we see them early enough. The InVEST study is specifically aimed at helping support teens and young adults who have a higher risk of psychosis by providing one-on-one coaching to help them meet school or work goals.
Sessions begin by assessing the participant’s goals, noting any difficulties with procrastinating, dealing with stress, or organizing their time. Sessions are then based on the specific needs of each person. For younger participants, coaches can communicate and collaborate with the client’s individual therapist, school counselor, and family to build a team to support the participant in achieving these goals.
If you think you might be eligible, or aren’t sure, please contact us for a free pre-screening with our trained clinician.
Additional Information
This study hopes to develop and test the feasibility of InVEST, an educational and vocational functioning intervention designed for youth and young adults at Clinical High Risk for psychosis, ages 12-22. We hope to do this by increasing skills in executive functioning and decreasing at risk for psychosis symptoms.
- Participants must be ages 12-22 years old and have experienced recent changes in thinking, mood, or behaviors, such as:
- Starting to feel like your eyes/ears/mind are playing tricks on you
- Feeling confused about what is real and what is not
- Feeling suspicious of others
- Withdrawal from friends and family
- Drop in self-care or personal hygiene
- Feeling more anxious, depressed, or out of touch
- Becoming overly focused on certain ideas that other people find odd
- These new changes are causing problems in school, work, or attention
Participation involves:
- A comprehensive diagnostic assessment to determine eligibility
- 4 months of weekly, 1-hour sessions focused on organizational skills, stress-management, and goal initiation with a school and work coach (Participants will be randomly placed into one of two tracks: one track will begin immediately after assessment, while the other track will begin 4 months later. Participants and researchers do not have control over which track is assigned.)
You may get paid up to $200 ($40 dollars for the screening assessment, $40 for the baseline assessment, $60 for the 4-month assessment, and $60 for the 8-month follow-up assessment).
There is no cost for you to participate in our research study.