This K99-R00 application prepares the candidate, Catherine McDonald, PhD, for a research-intensive career developing and testing web-based interventions directed toward threats to teen health. The first step in this program of research will focus on the leading cause of death and disability for teens: motor vehicle crashes. The overall goal of the K99 is to gain advanced research training in attention and adolescent development, driving outcome measures, intervention development, and randomized controlled trials (RCT) methodology in order to develop and refine a web-based intervention that promotes safe driving behaviors and driving risk reduction in novice teen drivers. The overall goal of the R00 is to implement a Phase I RCT feasibility study of an advanced version of the K99 developed web-based intervention.
The specific aims of the K99 are: 1) To receive advanced training in: attention and adolescent developmental theory; creation and testing of behavioral interventions; RCT methodology and advanced statistical methods; outcome measures (eye tracking device, driving simulator, self-report measures and driving records); career development; and responsible conduct of research; 2) To derive content for the development of a theoretically-driven, web-based intervention to promote safe driving behaviors and driving risk reduction using focus groups with teens; 3) To conduct preliminary testing and refinement of a prototype web-based risky driving intervention (including recruitment, screening, enrollment, baseline assessment, and intervention delivery), that will serve as the foundation for the R00 Phase I RCT feasibility study; and 4) To refine the metrics for the primary outcome (attention maintenance), and secondary outcomes (self-reported risky driving behaviors, driving performance, and driving citations and crash reports) using data collected during the preliminary testing and refinement. The K99 research training will be under the guidance of two senior scientists with extensive experience in risky driving, injury prevention, and RCTs.
The specific aim of the R00 is to assess the feasibility of an advanced version of the web-based risky driving intervention developed in the K99, with teen drivers licensed in the previous 90 days. We will: 1) Develop an advanced version of web-based risky driving intervention based on data from the K99; 2) Implement a Phase I RCT of the web based risky driving intervention to assess: a) Recruit and randomization of teens to web-based risky driving intervention or control group (the control group will receive a web-based intervention for healthy eating); b) Measurement of adherence among the intervention group; and c). Retention in the intervention and control groups. As a secondary aim of the R00, we will estimate effect size of the web- based risky driving intervention at 1 and 3 months on the primary outcome of attention maintenance and the secondary outcomes of self-reported risky driving behaviors, and driving performance; and at 6 months on the secondary outcomes of self-reported risky driving behaviors and driving citations and crashes. Results of the R00 Phase I RCT feasibility study will be used as preliminary data for an R01 Phase II efficacy trial.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers. A large proportion of crashes result from teen drivers taking their eyes off the road to perform other activities in the vehicle. This application supports the training of a promising young scientist by experienced mentors to develop and test a web-based intervention to improve attention maintenance in novice teen drivers, thereby reducing the risk of crashes and the associated injuries and deaths.
