Social Participation and Navigation (SPAN): Description and usability of app-based coaching intervention for adolescents with TBI

BACKGROUND: Adolescents with brain injury (BI) often experience impairment in participation, which is an important predictor of outcomes. OBJECTIVE: Describe the Social Participation and Navigation (SPAN) program, and report participant feedback and preliminary outcomes. METHOD: Four adolescents and four coaches participated. SPAN included a mobile app, online didactic information, and peer coaching. Adolescents met weekly with coaches via video-conference, developed participation goals, and plans to achieve goals. Social and behavioral functioning before and after was assessed, and feedback about SPAN was collected. RESULTS: SPAN was well received. Participants used the app to define and achieve goals. Medium to large effect sizes were found on adolescent self-reported measures, with negligible effects on parent-report measures. Positive and critical feedback is described. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the usability of SPAN, which has the potential to improve social participation of adolescents with a history of TBI through an innovative use of technology and peer coaching.