Psychosocial stress induction in vivo vs. in virtuo in children and adolescents - a pilot study on the influence of a health app on the acute stress reaction

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

DRKS

Registry ID

DRKS00022063

Enrollment

Registered

2020-08-10

Start date

2021-06-28

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2026-06-01

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Acute and daily stress processes

Interventions

Group 1: Intervention group (IG): Guided heart coherence exercise per app during the ambulatory assessment and the subsequent relaxation phase after the TSST (n = 42) Group 2: Control group (CG): Ungu

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

11 Years to 17 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Sufficient understanding of the German language; local connection to the Clinic and Polyclinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy of the University of Regensburg; informed consent of the participants and their legal guardians

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: Current or history of psychiatric, psychotherapeutic or neurological treatment; use of glucocorticoid-containing drugs; current or history of neurological, endocrinological, immunological or psychological diseases; pregnancy/breastfeeding; early pubertal development due to a abnormal hormone status; intellectual impairment (IQ < 85) and attendance of a special school

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
The aim of the present study is a successful transferability of the TSST in healthy children and adolescents from reality to virtual reality as well as an examination of the effectiveness of a heart coherence exercise immediately after acute stress induction. In order to be able to compare and analyse the in- and decrease of the stress level of both groups (IG and CG), different physiological and psychological variables such as cortisol, alpha-amylase, heart rate and mood will be collected. The assessment of the subjective stress level will be examined using a 10-level scale. Furthermore, gaze behaviour (e.g. number of fixations and duration of fixation on faces) during stress induction will be observed and analysed using eye-tracking systems (Tobii Pro Glasses 2 for real TSST and Tobii Eye Tracking integrated in the HTC Vive Pro Eye for virtual TSST). Used instruments to exclude mental illnesses, psychometrics as well as to assess the stress levels before, during and after the TSST: - Barratt Impulsiveness Scale - Short Version (BIS-15: Spinella, 2007; German version: Meule, Vögele and Kübler, 2011) - Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI: Beck, Epstein, Brown and Steer, 1988; German version: Margraf and Ehlers, 2002) - Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ: Bernstein et al., 2003; German version: Bader, Hänny, Schäfer, Neuckel und Kuhl, 2009) - Aggression Questionnaire (AQ: Buss and Perry, 1992; German version: Werner and Collani, 2014) - Child Behavior Checklist 6-18R and Youth Self-Report 11-18R (CBCL/6-18R andYSR/11-18R: Döpfner, Plück and Kinnen, 2014) - Questionnaire for the Measurement of Stress and Coping in Children and Adolescents (SSKJ 3-8 R: Lohaus, Eschenbeck, Kohlmann and Klein-Heßling, 2006) - Culture Fair Intelligence Test 20-R - Scale 2 (CFT-20-R: White, 2006) - Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI 12-18R: Goth and Taste, 2009) - Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interviews for Children and Adolescents (M.I.N.I.-KID: Sheehan et al., 1998) - Pub	—

Measure

Time frame

The aim of the present study is a successful transferability of the TSST in healthy children and adolescents from reality to virtual reality as well as an examination of the effectiveness of a heart coherence exercise immediately after acute stress induction. In order to be able to compare and analyse the in- and decrease of the stress level of both groups (IG and CG), different physiological and psychological variables such as cortisol, alpha-amylase, heart rate and mood will be collected. The assessment of the subjective stress level will be examined using a 10-level scale. Furthermore, gaze behaviour (e.g. number of fixations and duration of fixation on faces) during stress induction will be observed and analysed using eye-tracking systems (Tobii Pro Glasses 2 for real TSST and Tobii Eye Tracking integrated in the HTC Vive Pro Eye for virtual TSST). Used instruments to exclude mental illnesses, psychometrics as well as to assess the stress levels before, during and after the TSST: - Barratt Impulsiveness Scale - Short Version (BIS-15: Spinella, 2007; German version: Meule, Vögele and Kübler, 2011) - Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI: Beck, Epstein, Brown and Steer, 1988; German version: Margraf and Ehlers, 2002) - Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ: Bernstein et al., 2003; German version: Bader, Hänny, Schäfer, Neuckel und Kuhl, 2009) - Aggression Questionnaire (AQ: Buss and Perry, 1992; German version: Werner and Collani, 2014) - Child Behavior Checklist 6-18R and Youth Self-Report 11-18R (CBCL/6-18R andYSR/11-18R: Döpfner, Plück and Kinnen, 2014) - Questionnaire for the Measurement of Stress and Coping in Children and Adolescents (SSKJ 3-8 R: Lohaus, Eschenbeck, Kohlmann and Klein-Heßling, 2006) - Culture Fair Intelligence Test 20-R - Scale 2 (CFT-20-R: White, 2006) - Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI 12-18R: Goth and Taste, 2009) - Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interviews for Children and Adolescents (M.I.N.I.-KID: Sheehan et al., 1998) - Pub

—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
The second objective is the investigation of coping and processing of everyday stress in children and adolescents. Within the framework of an ambulatory assessment, the physiological and psychological stress parameters (cortisol, alpha-amylase, sleep quality and mood) in everyday life will be examined. On two working days, the first alarm clock starts the collection of the alpha-amylase and cortisol awakening responses. With the help of a self-programmed app, the participants will be asked to collect saliva samples for alpha-amylase and cortisol determination at 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.. In addition, stressful events, current mood and coping strategies since the last survey will be inquired via app. Instruments used to record stress perception and coping during the ambulatory assessment: - Mood ratings - Morning protocol on sleep quality and quantity - Questions on stressful events and used coping strategies - Questions about smartphone app usage - Evening protocol for the evaluation of the day	—

Measure

Time frame

The second objective is the investigation of coping and processing of everyday stress in children and adolescents. Within the framework of an ambulatory assessment, the physiological and psychological stress parameters (cortisol, alpha-amylase, sleep quality and mood) in everyday life will be examined. On two working days, the first alarm clock starts the collection of the alpha-amylase and cortisol awakening responses. With the help of a self-programmed app, the participants will be asked to collect saliva samples for alpha-amylase and cortisol determination at 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.. In addition, stressful events, current mood and coping strategies since the last survey will be inquired via app. Instruments used to record stress perception and coping during the ambulatory assessment: - Mood ratings - Morning protocol on sleep quality and quantity - Questions on stressful events and used coping strategies - Questions about smartphone app usage - Evening protocol for the evaluation of the day

—

Countries

Germany

Contacts

Public ContactRomuald Brunner

Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie der Universität Regensburg am Bezirksklinikum Regensburg

Romuald.Brunner@medbo.de+49 (0) 941 / 941-4001

Outcome results

None listed

Source: DRKS (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Jun 11, 2026