Trial Review

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Trial registered on ANZCTR


Registration number
Help: Registration number
ACTRN12626000854336
Ethics application status
Help: Ethics application status
Approved
Date submitted
Help: Date submitted
29/06/2026
Date registered
Help: Date registered
14/07/2026
Date last updated
Help: Date last updated
2/10/2026
Date data sharing statement initially provided
Help: Data sharing statement date
14/07/2026
Type of registration
Help: Type of registration
Prospectively registered

Titles & IDs
Public title
CYBERABILITY: Evaluating the Smooth Sailing After Scams adjustment program for scam victim-survivors
Scientific title
CYBERABILITY: Evaluating the Smooth Sailing After Scams adjustment program addressing levels of distress in cyberscam survivors.
Additional trial identifiers [1] 316371 0
Nil known
Universal Trial Number (UTN)
Nil known
Trial acronym
Related trial records
ACTRN12624000315516 - pilot study. The current study is a follow-up of the pilot study ACTRN12624000315516 assessing the effectiveness of the intervention.

Health condition
Health condition(s) studied:
Cognitive disability 342057 0
Mental health 342058 0
Adjustment disorder 342059 0
Trauma 342060 0
Condition category
Condition code
Mental Health 338149 338149 0 0
Anxiety
Neurological 338150 338150 0 0
Dementias
Neurological 338151 338151 0 0
Other neurological disorders
Mental Health 338152 338152 0 0
Autistic spectrum disorders
Mental Health 338153 338153 0 0
Depression
Mental Health 338154 338154 0 0
Learning disabilities
Mental Health 338155 338155 0 0
Studies of normal psychology, cognitive function and behaviour
Mental Health 338156 338156 0 0
Other mental health disorders
Stroke 338157 338157 0 0
Haemorrhagic
Physical Medicine / Rehabilitation 338158 338158 0 0
Other physical medicine / rehabilitation

Intervention/exposure
Study type
Interventional
Description of the intervention or exposure
Treatment Condition: Smooth Sailing After Scams Program

The Smooth Sailing After Scams (SSAS) condition includes education (Cyberability online training) and group psychosocial intervention. For the CyberAbility online training, individuals will be asked to start and finish the training in their own time for around 1-2 weeks prior to commencing the SSAS program. The CyberAbility training includes educational content and interactive activities addressing key cyberscam-related topics, including 1) What is a Scam, 2) Scams and Brain Injury, 3) What are Red Flags, 4) Romance Scams, 5) Gaining Access Scams, 6) Tips for Increasing CyberAbility, 7) Stopping a Scam, and 8) Finding the Silver Lining. The training includes videos, interactive activities, and a workbook to support learning and application of cybersafety strategies. The CyberAbility training was previously co-designed as an education program to prevent cyberscams and is available as free online training through cyberability.org.au/free-training. Individuals will be asked to keep a copy of their completed workbook. Evidence of completion will be provided at the end of the first and second week by submitting a copy of the completed workbook section (e.g., PDF, scanned document, photograph, or screenshot), or by presenting the completed section to the research team (e.g., via videoconference or in-person).

Following completion of the CyberAbility training, participants will commence the SSAS psychosocial intervention. The intervention will follow the SSAS Manual to guide clinician decisions and treatment delivery. This treatment manual was extensively co-designed with cyberscam survivors with acquired brain injury (ABI), caregivers and clinicians. Fifteen cyberscam survivors with acquired brain injury (ABI), caregivers, clinicians and service provider took part in eight 2.5-hour hybrid focus groups delivered over a period of eight weeks, to co-design the treatment manual. Participants were presented with draft content on recommended intervention approaches and priorities based on our previous scoping research with these stakeholder groups. They were invited to provide feedback and generate ideas throughout each group. Additional meetings were held with the research team to refine and integrate the ideas into a structured intervention manual. Following these meetings, eight more meetings were held with clinician and service provider participants to discuss and gather more feedback on the structured manual. Four steering committee meetings with industry stakeholders from the brain injury and cybersecurity sectors were also held to provide strategic advice on the intervention content, and promotion and sustainability plans.

The SSAS manual was developed specifically for this program and provides guidance for delivery of the psychosocial intervention. The manual, including intervention handouts and session materials, was designed for this program. The SSAS manual was initially developed for individuals with ABI, and has been piloted and can be used with individuals affected by a scam who do not have a cognitive disability. The SSAS intervention focuses on four topics addressing cybersafety, finances, emotions, relationships and lifestyle. Sessions involve supporting participants to process their scam experiences, develop practical coping strategies, rebuild confidence and enhance their ability to engage safely online.

Participants will be grouped based on the presence or absence of a cognitive disability (e.g., individuals with acquired brain injury will be in the same group vs individuals without cognitive disability). Participants without a cognitive disability will complete 8 sessions, and participants with a cognitive disability will complete 10 sessions. Each session will run for approximately one hour. The first session intervention will be in a 1:1 format; subsequent sessions will be delivered in a small-group format. The intervention is individualised and conducted collaboratively with the participant and their close other where required.

Sessions will involve provision of brief information through short videos and handouts, semi-structured group discussions among participants, facilitated by the therapist and lived experience facilitator (i.e., Scambassadors), and exploration of practical strategies to implement between sessions. Videos used during SSAS sessions may include resources developed specifically for the SSAS program as well as publicly available videos from external sources such as news reports and online media channels (e.g., Channel 7 News, YouTube), where relevant to support discussion and learning.

The intervention will be delivered by a multidisciplinary team of clinician participants (comprising neuropsychologist, clinical psychologist, general psychologist, provisional psychologist, occupational therapist and/or speech pathologist). Clinicians will see participants in-person or online based on their needs. Of note, there may be instances where researchers need to break protocol and schedule a person to be seen 1:1. For example, the person may be distressed and require urgent 1:1 input. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis. For individuals who attend sessions via videoconference, handouts will be delivered via email or hardcopy post depending on the participants preference.

Strategies used to monitor adherence to the intervention include session attendance checklists, audio-visual recording of sessions to allow for analyses of treatment fidelity and regular clinical supervision with therapists by the project lead.
Intervention code [1] 334188 0
Prevention
Intervention code [2] 334189 0
Rehabilitation
Intervention code [3] 334190 0
Behaviour
Description of the comparator or control
Active Control Condition: CyberAbility online training

The Active Control Condition present comprises individual online self-directed education. Participants in this condition will complete the same free online self-guided CyberAbility education training used as the education component of the Treatment condition, as described above. Participants allocated to the Active Control Condition will complete the CyberAbility training during the active control phase and will be offered participation in the SSAS program following completion of the active control phase and post-phase outcome measures.

The CyberAbility training includes eight educational topics focused on increasing cybersafety knowledge, scam awareness and confidence in responding to cyberscam experiences. The topics covered include What is a Scam, Scams and Brain Injury, What are Red Flags, Romance Scams, Gaining Access Scams, Tips for Increasing CyberAbility, Stopping a Scam, and Finding the Silver Lining. Content is designed to provide participants with information about common scam types, factors that may increase vulnerability to scams, recognising warning signs, strategies to improve online safety, responding to scam experiences, and developing a more positive and adaptive understanding following scam experiences. The CyberAbility training also incorporates interactive activities, short videos and a workbook developed for the training itself. Participants will complete one topic per week. They will keep a copy of their completed workbook. They will be asked to provide a copy of their completed workbook for each module each week (i.e., PDF, scanned/screenshots/pictures, sighted by the research team via video/in-person).
Control group
Active

Outcomes
Primary outcome [1] 345541 0
Subjective levels of scam-related trauma
Timepoint [1] 345541 0
Baseline (T1), Post-intervention (T2, primary timepoint), 2-month follow-up (T3)
Secondary outcome [1] 462079 0
Cybersafety and knowledge
Timepoint [1] 462079 0
Baseline (T1), Post-intervention (T2), 2-month follow-up (T3)
Secondary outcome [2] 462080 0
Levels of scam adjustment
Timepoint [2] 462080 0
Baseline (T1), Post-intervention (T2), 2-month follow-up (T3)
Secondary outcome [3] 462081 0
Scam exposure
Timepoint [3] 462081 0
Baseline (T1), Post-intervention (T2), 2-month follow-up (T3)
Secondary outcome [4] 462082 0
Use of strategies
Timepoint [4] 462082 0
Baseline (T1), Post-intervention (T2), 2-month follow-up (T3)
Secondary outcome [5] 462083 0
Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS). This evaluates the extent to which a person's personalised goals of return to activity are attained during the course of the intervention.
Timepoint [5] 462083 0
Baseline (T1), Post-intervention (T2), 2-month follow-up (T3)
Secondary outcome [6] 463979 0
Intervention feedback
Timepoint [6] 463979 0
Post-intervention (T2)
Secondary outcome [7] 463980 0
Subjective levels of scam-related denial
Timepoint [7] 463980 0
Baseline (T1), Post-intervention (T2), 2-month follow-up (T3)
Secondary outcome [8] 464525 0
Scam exposure
Timepoint [8] 464525 0
Baseline (T1), Post-intervention (T2), 2-month follow-up (T3)
Secondary outcome [9] 464527 0
Use of strategies
Timepoint [9] 464527 0
Baseline (T1), Post-intervention (T2), 2-month follow-up (T3)
Secondary outcome [10] 468840 0
Psychological adjustment to the scam/situation
Timepoint [10] 468840 0
Baseline (T1), Post-intervention (T2), 2-month follow-up (T3)
Secondary outcome [11] 468841 0
Health-related quality of life
Timepoint [11] 468841 0
Baseline (T1), Post-intervention (T2), 2-month follow-up (T3)
Secondary outcome [12] 468842 0
Health and scam service utilisation
Timepoint [12] 468842 0
Baseline (T1), Post-intervention (T2), 2-month follow-up (T3)

Eligibility
Key inclusion criteria
Cyberscam survivors
o 18 years of age or older
o Experienced at least one cyberscam or have been told they have experienced at least one cyberscam
o Experiencing adjustment and mood difficulty after being scammed based on intake interview, as the intervention specifically targets psychosocial adjustment related to a cyberscam
o People with and without disabilities. Disabilities include neurodevelopmental conditions such as intellectual disability, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; as well as acquired cognitive disabilities such as acquired brain injury, dementias, etc. For individuals with disability: have sufficient cognitive capacity to understand plain language explanatory statement, provide informed consent, engage in therapy tasks and complete questionnaires

Close others
o 18 years of age or older
o A relative, friend or support person (e.g., clinician, support worker) of a cyberscam survivor participating in this study.
Minimum age
18 Years
Maximum age
No limit
Sex
Both males and females
Healthy volunteers
No
Key exclusion criteria
Cyberscam survivors
o Current significant psychiatric disorder, alcohol and/or drug use, measured as Level 3 – moderate on items 3, 6, 7 and 8 of the Health of Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) unrelated to the scam
o Live outside of Australia

Study design
Purpose of the study
Treatment
Allocation to intervention
Randomised controlled trial
Procedure for enrolling a subject and allocating the treatment (allocation concealment procedures)
Computer-generated permuted block 1:1 randomisation at an off-site location.
Methods used to generate the sequence in which subjects will be randomised (sequence generation)
Computer-generated permuted block 1:1 randomisation undertaken using standard statistical software by an independent biostatistician.
Masking / blinding
Blinded (masking used)
Who is / are masked / blinded?
The people receiving the treatment/s
The people administering the treatment/s

Intervention assignment
Other
Other design features
Participants will be randomly allocated to one of two study conditions - Treatment and Active Control.

The treatment group will complete the CyberAbility online education program over 1–2 weeks, followed by the Smooth Sailing After Scams (SSAS) small-group psychosocial intervention delivered by trained clinicians across 8-10 weeks depending on disability status.

The active control group will complete the CyberAbility online self-directed education program only, progressing through one module per week across 8 weeks. Completion of the CyberAbility program will be monitored through submission or verification of completed workbook sections. Participants in the active control group will then be offered the SSAS intervention upon completion of the 8 week CyberAbility program period.
Phase
Phase 2 / Phase 3
Type of endpoint/s
Efficacy
Statistical methods / analysis
Power analysis was conducted by study biostatistician using Stata 19 (Stata Corporation, College Station, Texas, 2025), with a statistical power of 0.80 and a level of statistical significance or alpha of 0.05, 2-tailed, and an independent samples t-test between the two groups at one timepoint (i.e., timepoint 3 – post-intervention). A group difference corresponding to a Cohen’s d (Cohen, 1992) of 0.50 was observed for two groups completed during the pilot phase of the program (n=2 in group one, n=3 in group two). An RCT study by Leterme et al. (2020) found differences in STAI-T at 2 months between waitlist control of face to face CBT corresponding to a Cohen’s d of 0.83 (taking the larger of the group standard deviations) and 1.09 between waitlist control and blended CBT of 1.09. A Cohen’s d of 0.80 is conventionally regarded as a large effect size. A Cohen’s d of 0.65, halfway between the medium effect size observed in the pilot study and a large effect size was therefore employed in the sample size analysis., indicating that 39 participants per each of two groups would be required. Allowing for 15% attrition, 38/0.95 = 45.9 = 46 participants per group or 92 in total would be required in order to complete the study with a total of 78 participants or 39 per group would be required.

Descriptive statistics comprising frequencies and percentages for categorical / binary variables and means and standard deviations for continuous outcomes, or medians and interquartile ranges if the latter are found to be skewed will be generated for all variables of interest. For cognitive measures, raw scores will be converted into standardised z-scores using age- and education-based normative data.

Using intention-to-treat principles, differences in main outcome measure (overall TAQ score) between intervention and control groups will be examined using mixed effects regression (Twisk, 2019), allowing comparison at a specific timepoint (primary endpoint) as well as across the three timepoints. Mixed effects regression will also be used to compare secondary outcome measures (Cyberability Scale, Scam Adjustment Journey Questionnaire) across the three timepoints. Alpha or level of statistical significance will be set at 0.05, 2-tailed. 95% confidence intervals will be reported wherever appropriate. Statistical analyses will be undertaken by, or under the supervision of, a biostatistician using standard statistical software such as Stata version 19 or higher (Stata Corporation, College Station, Texas, 2025). Only deidentified data will be analysed. Deidentified data and data dictionary (variable and category labels) can be directly exported to Stata from REDCap. Functional change on GAS goals will be descriptively explored. NVivo software, version 15 or higher (Lumivero, Denver, Colorado, 2025) will be used to store and analyse interview transcripts. Braun and Clarke’s (2006, 2021) reflexive thematic analysis will be used.

Recruitment
Recruitment status
Not yet recruiting
Date of first participant enrolment
Anticipated
28/09/2026
Actual
Date of last participant enrolment
Anticipated
31/08/2028
Actual
Date of last data collection
Anticipated
31/01/2029
Actual
Sample size
Target
92
Accrual to date
Final
Recruitment in Australia
Recruitment state(s)
ACT,NSW,NT,QLD,SA,TAS,WA,VIC
Recruitment postcode(s) [1] 45870 0
3168 - Notting Hill

Funding & Sponsors
Funding source category [1] 320981 0
Charities/Societies/Foundations
Name [1] 320981 0
auDA Research and Development Grant
Country [1] 320981 0
Australia
Primary sponsor type
University
Name
Monash University
Address
Country
Australia
Secondary sponsor category [1] 323677 0
None
Name [1] 323677 0
Address [1] 323677 0
Country [1] 323677 0
Other collaborator category [1] 283963 0
Commercial sector/Industry
Name [1] 283963 0
Westpac Bank
Address [1] 283963 0
Country [1] 283963 0
Australia
Other collaborator category [2] 283964 0
Government body
Name [2] 283964 0
National Anti-Scams Centre
Address [2] 283964 0
Country [2] 283964 0
Australia
Other collaborator category [3] 283965 0
Charities/Societies/Foundations
Name [3] 283965 0
Brain Injury Matters
Address [3] 283965 0
Country [3] 283965 0
Australia
Other collaborator category [4] 284008 0
University
Name [4] 284008 0
Queensland University of Technology
Address [4] 284008 0
Country [4] 284008 0
Australia

Ethics approval
Ethics application status
Approved
Ethics committee name [1] 319514 0
Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee
Ethics committee address [1] 319514 0
Ethics committee country [1] 319514 0
Australia
Date submitted for ethics approval [1] 319514 0
12/05/2026
Approval date [1] 319514 0
24/06/2026
Ethics approval number [1] 319514 0
50525

Summary
Brief summary
Trial website
Trial related presentations / publications
Public notes

Contacts
Principal investigator
Name 147570 0
A/Prof Kate Gould
Address 147570 0
Turner Clinics, Building 1, 270 Ferntree Gully Road, Notting Hill VIC 3168
Country 147570 0
Australia
Phone 147570 0
+61 03 9902 4040
Fax 147570 0
Email 147570 0
[email protected]
Contact person for public queries
Name 147571 0
Kate Gould
Address 147571 0
Turner Clinics, Building 1, 270 Ferntree Gully Road, Notting Hill VIC 3168
Country 147571 0
Australia
Phone 147571 0
+61 03 9902 4040
Fax 147571 0
Email 147571 0
[email protected]
Contact person for scientific queries
Name 147572 0
Kate Gould
Address 147572 0
Turner Clinics, Building 1, 270 Ferntree Gully Road, Notting Hill VIC 3168
Country 147572 0
Australia
Phone 147572 0
+61 03 9902 4040
Fax 147572 0
Email 147572 0
[email protected]

Data sharing statement
Will the study consider sharing individual participant data?
No


What supporting documents are/will be available?

No Supporting Document Provided


Results publications and other study-related documents

Documents added manually
No documents have been uploaded by study researchers.

Documents added automatically
No additional documents have been identified.