title: "Young people, adult worries": RCT of an internet-based self-support method "Feel the ViBe" for children, adolescents and young adults exposed to family violence, a study protocol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Violence in families affects children. Exposure to violence is seen as child abuse. Figures show that about one third of children exposed to violence become victim or perpetrator in their adult life: known as intergenerational transmission. Violence also affects sexual and reproductive health. To prevent problems in adult life, children need help and support. However, while trying to protect their parents, children often do not seek help, or perceive the threshold as too high. Since almost all children of the current generation have access to the internet, an online intervention will make help better available for this target group. In 2011, an internet-based self-support method for children, adolescents and young adults exposed to family violence was developed in the Netherlands: "Feel the ViBe". The intervention was developed in close collaboration with the target group. This article describes the protocol of the RCT to study the effectiveness of this intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a randomized controlled trial using the method of minimization to randomize the participants in two parallel groups with a 1:1 allocation ratio, being an intervention group, having access to "Feel the ViBe" and usual care (UC), and a control group, having access to minimally enhanced usual care (mEUC) followed by access to the intervention after twelve weeks. Outcomes are measured with questionnaires on PTSD symptoms, mental health and sexual and reproductive health. Routine Outcome Measurement (ROM) will be used to measure a direct effect of participating in the intervention. Data from a web evaluation questionnaire (WEQ), user statistics and qualitative analysis of online data will be used to support the findings. To compare results Cohen's d effect sizes will be used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A RCT and process evaluation will test effectiveness and provide information of how the effects can be explained, how the intervention meets the expectation of participants and which possible barriers and facilitators for implementation exist. A qualitative analysis of the data will add information to interpret the quantitative data. This makes "Feel the ViBe" unique in its field.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The Netherlands National Trial Register (NTR), trial ID NTR3692.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary and Community Care, Gender & Women's Health, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen, 6500HB, The Netherlands. K.vanRosmalen-Nooijens@elg.umcn.nl
authors.forename: Karin A W L
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: van Rosmalen-Nooijens
authors.forename: Judith B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Prins
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vergeer
authors.forename: Sylvie H Lo Fo
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Antoine L M
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Lagro-Janssen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012107:Research Design; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult