Feasibility of a self-management intervention in adolescents with headache (SMI-AH)

This study assessed the acceptability and limited efficacy of a self-management intervention to improve lifestyle behaviors and headache outcomes among rural adolescents with recurrent headache.

Participants were randomly assigned to a self-management intervention for adolescent headache (SMI-AH, n = 13) or standard care group (n = 17). The SMI-AH group participated in goal-setting, self-monitoring, and information processing to modify lifestyle behaviors (missed meals, caffeine intake, and poor sleep). Independent samples t-test was used to compare the means of outcomes at baseline and 6-week follow-up between the treatment group and control group. Linear mixed model (LMM) was used to examine the intervention effects over time.

The mean age was 14.8 years (sd = 1.6, range, 12-17); with female participants accounting for 80% of the sample (n = 24) and persons reporting white race were 97% (n = 29). The SMI-AH group demonstrated a greater magnitude of change in lifestyle behaviors, including increased days of eating breakfast and lunch. The multivariate LMM showed significant intervention effect of lunch intake (p = 0.042 with Cohen's d = 0.42) and borderline significant effect of breakfast intake (p = 0.064 with Cohen's d = 0.38). Participants reported the intervention was easy to use and helpful to monitor behaviors.

Among rural adolescents, a self-management intervention is a feasible approach for engaging youth. The SMI-AH provides an opportunity for the adolescents to talk about their behaviors and participate in goal setting as well as the plan of care with the provider. Challenges identified in this study are manageable and a full study is feasible with modifications.