Can WhatsApp help teachers deliver mental health care? new study in sierra leone aims to find out
NCT ID NCT05737667
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study in Sierra Leone tests whether using mobile phones to supervise teachers can improve how they deliver a mental health program called the Youth Readiness Intervention (YRI) to students. About 1,454 youth and their teachers from secondary schools will take part. The YRI is a group therapy that helps young people manage emotions, build relationships, and solve problems. Some teachers will get supervision via mobile phone (using WhatsApp and other tools), while others will have standard in-person supervision. The study will measure how well the program is delivered and whether it helps youth mental health.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Youth Readiness Intervention (YRI) - a group therapy program delivered by teachers
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that using mobile phones to supervise teachers is a practical way to expand mental health support for youth in low-resource settings.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage implementation study, not a treatment trial. The main focus is on how well the program is delivered, not on proving it works for mental health. Results may not apply to other regions or settings.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Innovations for Poverty Action
Freetown, Sierra Leone
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