The BrotherlyACT Project began in August 2021, and has been funded in part by the following:
The Chicago Chronic Conditions Equity Network (C3EN),
The Institute for Translational Medicine (ITM) NIH/CTSA Grant
Rush to Pilot Grant (2024)
Led by Dr. Chuka Nestor Emezue, this program aims to develop, pilot test, and deploy the BrotherlyACT App as a multi-component, culturally congruent, and trauma-informed digital tool to reduce the risk and effects of violence and co-occurring substance use.
Brief Video-Based Modules
Brief 5-minute videos to teach young boys and men new life skills focused on various topics, including violence, substance use, gun safety, and coping skills.
Safety Planning Toolkit
With easy-to-use and interactive tools for mindfulness practice, goal setting, risk assessment, and mood tracking.
DEVON The Chatbot™
DEVON uses artificial intelligence to provide non-judgmental talk therapy and connect you to nearby services you can trust.
Download the BrotherlyACT app or use the online version/
Create a unique four-digit passcode/
Watch brief video lessons (podcast versions coming soon)/
Test out other interactive tools on the app/
Create a library of your go-to tools to build your own safety plan.
Completely anonymous user - no account setup necessary.
Use your secure PIN code to maintain confidentiality.
Click the 'Quick Exit' button to leave the app with one click.
If forced to log in, utilize a "dummy code" to dump app contents.
Customize the icon to conceal the app on your home screen.
Please visit our Tech Safety page for more info before you download or use BrotherlyACT™
Based on the Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (or ACT),
Uses easy-to-understand life skills coaching
Is mindfulness focused,
Trauma-informed, culturally congruent, youth-centered,
Adaptive to risk level and behavioral issues,
Co-location of services,
It can be integrated into current school, clinical, and justice systems using a whole-of-community approach.
We are recruiting young Black men and boys, ages 15-24, to a study using technology-based solutions for youth violence prevention.
Our current goal is to make BrotherlBrotherlyACT:
Digitally secure
Clinically viable and evidence-based
Confidential and private
Accessible to all youth
Practical for the 'treatment-curious' and 'treatment veteran.'
Emezue, C., Karnik, N. S., Sabri, B; Anakwe, A; Bishop-Royse, J; Dan-Irabor, D; Froilan, A; Dunlap, A; Li, Q; & Julion, W. (2024). Mental Telehealth Utilization Patterns Among High School Students from Racial and Ethnic Minority Backgrounds Affected by Violence and Substance Use. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. 1-15; https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-024-01936-y
Emezue, C., Karnik, N. S., Reeder, B., Schoeny, M., Layfield, R., Zarling, A., & Julion, W. (2023). A Technology-Enhanced Intervention for Violence and Substance Use Prevention Among Young Black Men: Protocol for Adaptation and Pilot Testing. JMIR research protocols, 12, e43842. https://doi.org/10.2196/43842 PMID: 37126388.
Emezue, Chuka; Pozneanscaia, Cristina; Sheaf, Greg; Groppo, Valeria; Bakrania, Shivit; Kaplan, Josiah (2023). Child Work and Child Labour: The Impact of Educational Policies and Programmes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, Innocenti Research Report, UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight. https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/1821-child-work-and-child-labour-the-impact-of-educational-policies-and-programmes-in-low-and-middle-income-countries.html
Emezue, C. N., Dougherty, D. S., Enriquez, M., Bullock, L., & Bloom, T. L. (2022). Perceptions of Risk for Dating Violence Among Rural Adolescent Males: An Interpretive Analysis. American Journal of Men’s Health. 16(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1177/15579883221126884
Emezue, C., Chase, J. D., Udmuangpia, T., & Bloom, T. L. (2022). Technology-based and digital interventions for intimate partner violence: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 18, e1271. https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1271
Gallimore, M. R., Howland, C., Chase, J. D., Grimsley, A., Emezue, C., Boles, K., Anbari, A. B., Sherwin, L. B., Vogelsmeier, A., Popejoy, L., Rantz, M. J., & Reeder, B. (2022). Digital Methodology for Mobile Clinical Decision Support Development in Long-Term Care. Studies in health technology and informatics, 290, 479–483. https://doi.org/10.3233/SHTI220122
Emezue, C., Enriquez, M., Dougherty, D. S., Bullock, L. F., & Bloom, T. L. (2021). Rural young males’ acceptance & receptiveness to technology-based interventions for dating violence prevention: A qualitative descriptive study. Journal of Adolescence, 92, 137-151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2021.08.012
Emezue, C., Pozneanscaia, C., Sheaf, G., Groppo, V., Bakrania, S., Kaplan, J., The Impact of Educational Policies and Programmes on Child Work and Child Labour in Low- and-Middle-Income Countries: A rapid evidence assessment (Protocol), UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti, Florence, 2021. https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/Impact-of-Educational-Policies-and-Programmes-on-Child-Work-and-Child-Labour-in-LMICs-study-protocol.pdf
Emezue C., Bloom TL. (2020). Protocol: Technology-based and digital interventions for intimate partner violence: A meta‐analysis and systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews. 2020;e1132. doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1132 [Most cited in issue between 1 January 2021 – 15 December 2022].
Emezue, C., & Udmuangpia, T. (2020). Authentic Empathy and the Role of Victim Service Providers in (De)stigmatizing Male Sexual Victimization. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. doi.org/10.1177/0886260520948150
Emezue C., (2020). Digital or Digitally Delivered Responses to Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence During COVID-19, JMIR Public Health Surveill 2020;6(3): e19831 URL: http://publichealth.jmir.org/2020/3/e19831/ [Highly cited, > 120 citations since publication].
Emezue C., Williams, O. J., & Bloom, T.L. (2019), Culturally Differentiated Batterer Intervention Programs for Immigrant Male Batterers: An Integrative Review. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma. doi:10.1080/10926771.2019.1685042
Emezue, C., Karnik, N., Sabri, B., Anakwe, A., Bishop-Royse, J.C., Dan-Irabor, D., Froilan, A.P., Dunlap, A., Li, Q., Julion, W., Double Jeopardy: Online Help-Seeking by Racial and Ethnic Minority High Schoolers Impacted by Violence and Substance Use During the Pandemic, MNRS Annual Research Conference, March 2024 in Minneapolis, MN. [Poster Discussion]
Emezue, C., Karnik, N., Sabri, B., Anakwe, A., Bishop-Royse, J.C., Dan-Irabor, D., Froilan, A.P., Dunlap, A., Li, Q., Julion, W., Online Help-Seeking by Racial and Ethnic Minority Adolescents Impacted by Violence and Substance Use During the Pandemic. 45th Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions of the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM), Philadelphia, PA, March 2024. [Paper Presentation]
Emezue, C., D., Froilan, A.P., Dunlap, A., Li, Q., Julion, W., Risky Firearm Behaviors (RFBs) and Other Forms of Youth Violence Among Young Black Males in Chicago: A Cross-Sectional Study. SBM 2024, Philadelphia, PA, March 2024. [Poster]
Boles, K., Gallimore, M., Howland, C., Emezue, C., Reeder, B., (2023), Technical Function Evaluation of Two Smart Wearables and Data Analysis Methods for Step Counts. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4240429
Herbert, D., Gallimore, M.R, Johnson, A., Narasri, P., Boles, K., Emezue, C., Reeder, B., (2022). Usability Inspection of the Maisie Mobile CDS App. Published conference proceedings, the poster was also presented at American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) 2022.
Emezue, C., Chase, J., Udmuangpia, T., & Bloom, T. (2022). How effective are technology-based interventions in reducing adverse mental health and victimization outcomes among partner violence survivors? Findings from a meta-analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing Special Issue: Conference Proceedings for the 24th NNVAWI Conference. DOI: 10.1111/jan.15313
Emezue, C., Dougherty, D., Enriquez, M., Bullock, L., Bloom, T. (2022). What is risk to you? How rural young males perceive risk and protective factors of dating violence: A qualitative interpretive study. Journal of Advanced Nursing Special Issue: Conference Proceedings for the 24th NNVAWI Conference. DOI: 10.1111/jan.15313
Emezue, C. N., Enriquez, M., Dougherty, D., Bullock, L., & Bloom, T. (2022, April). What Do Rural Young Males Want in An App-Based Intervention for Dating Violence Prevention? In Annals of Behavioral Medicine (Vol. 56, No. Supp 1, pp. S679-S679). Journals Dept, 2001 Evans Rd, Cary, NC 27513 USA: Oxford Univ Press Inc.
*Emezue, CN., Howland, C., Gallimore, M.R., Boles, K., Grimsley, A., Sherwin, L.B., Anbari, A., Reeder, B., Chase, J.D., (2021). Usability and Accuracy Evaluation of the Fitbit Versa 3 Smart Watch Compared to Research-Grade Devices. Poster Abstract presented at American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) Annual Symposium 2021, San Diego, CA. November 2021.
Grimsley, A., Boles, K., Howland, C., Emezue, C., Gallimore, M., Sherwin, L.B., Chase, J., Reeder, B., Anbari, A. (2021). Digital Methodology for Mobile Clinical Decision Support Development. Poster Abstract at American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) Annual Symposium 2021, San Diego, CA. November 2021.
Boles, K. Gallimore, M., Emezue, C., Howland, C., Grimsley, A., Chase, J.D., Anbari, A., Sherwin, L, Reeder, B. (2021) Comparing Performance of Hip-worn and Wrist-worn Research-Grade Activity Monitors for Daily Activities. Poster Abstract presented at American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) Annual Symposium 2021, San Diego, CA. November 2021.
Gallimore, M., Howland, C, Chase, J.D., Grimsley, A., Emezue, C., Boles, K., Anbari, A.B., Sherwin, L.B., Vogelsmeier, A., Popejoy, L., Rantz, M.J., Reeder, B., Digital Methodology for Mobile Clinical Decision Support Development in Long-Term Care. International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) - MedInfo 2021 Conference [Paper]
Reeder, B., Gallimore, M., Howland, C., Emezue, C., Boles, K., Anbari, A., & Chase, J. A. D. (2021) Stepwise Evaluation Methodology for SmartWatch Sensor Function and Usability. In: Schmorrow D.D., Fidopiastis C.M. (eds) Augmented Cognition. HCII 2021. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 12776. Springer, Cham. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78114-9_16
Emezue, C., Bloom T., (April 2021), Digital Interventions Responsive to Mental Health Outcomes of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV): A Meta-Analysis [Citation and Meritorious Award Winner]. 2021 SBM Annual Meeting Abstracts Supplement Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Volume 55, Issue Supplement 1, Pages S1–S618, https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaab020
Emezue, C., (May 2020). Supporting Male Victims of Sexual Assault: The Role of Authentic Empathy (AE.) and Stigma Management in the Narratives of Victim Service Providers. 2020 Midwest Nursing Research Society, MNRS. [Award-Winning Abstract] published in Western Journal of Nursing Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193945920935549
Emezue, C., (July 2020). Nursing Network on Violence Against Women International (NNVAWI) Abstracts, Title: Immigrant Male Batterers: A Systematic Review of Treatment Gaps, Therapeutic Disparities, & Theoretical Misfiring in Intervention Programs. NNVAWI Abstract. 10.1177/2333393620932494
Emezue, C., (July 2020). Nursing Network on Violence Against Women International (NNVAWI) Abstracts Title: Exploring Authentic Empathy & Male Victim Stigma Management in the Practice Narratives of Victim Service Providers. NNVAWI Abstract. https://doi.org/10.1177/2333393620932494
Emezue, CN., Socio-Legal Responses to Immigrant and Refugee Male Batterers in the EU and MENA Regions. Peterson, D.S, Schroeder, J.A, & Zhang, D. (Eds.). International Responses to Interpersonal Violence: Gender-Specific and Socio-Cultural Approaches. Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003264040-29
Boles, K. K., Gallimore, M. R., Howland, C., Emezue, C., & Reeder, B. Technical Function Evaluation of Two Smart Wearables and Data Analysis Methods for Step Counts. Available at SSRN 4240429.
Hatcher A., and Emezue, CN., (2023) Foreword for Young People, Violence and Strategic Interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa. Naidoo, K., Adeagbo, O., Xiaoming Li, X., (Eds.) Clinical Sociology: Research and Practice (CSRP) (First Edition). Springer
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