Self Efficacy, Stress
Conditions
Keywords
self-efficacy, stress, digital, intervention
Brief summary
The study investigates the effects of a digital, scalable self-efficacy training of repeated recall of self-efficacy memories on mental health outcomes, such as self-efficacy, anxiety, stress, hopelessness, and other mental health outcomes. A total of 94 students with elevated stress levels (≤ 13 on the Perceived Stress Scale) will be recruited and randomly assigned to training and control group. Individuals will either engage in the self-efficacy training app combined with Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) for 1 week (training group) or in EMA only for 1 week (control group). Baseline and post assessments will measure changes in self-efficacy, anxiety, stress, hopelessness, and other mental health outcomes.
Detailed description
Self-efficacy is associated with positive mental health outcomes and has been proposed as a putative contributor to therapeutic outcomes in the treatment of mental health problems. It can be enhanced through experimental inductions and the recall of autobiographical mastery experiences, which have mostly been conducted in person and in the laboratory until today. The study will investigate effects of a digital, scalable self-efficacy training of repeated recall of self-efficacy memories on mental health outcomes, such as self-efficacy, anxiety, stress, hopelessness, and other mental health outcomes. The study will recruit 94 students with elevated stress levels (≤ 13 on the Perceived Stress Scale) and randomly assigned them to training and control group. Individuals will either engage in the self-efficacy training app combined with Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) for 1 week (training group) or in EMA only for 1 week (control group). Baseline and post assessments will measure changes in self-efficacy, anxiety, stress, hopelessness, and other mental health outcomes.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALSelf-efficacy App
The training starts with a psychoeducational video and instructions to define two autobiographical self-efficacy The individuals will then receive three self-efficacy trainings per day based on their autobiographical memories and combined with a slow breathing exercise. Additionally, they will receive 10 daily EMA questionnaires on mood, social contacts, and virtual context.
Sponsors
University of Zurich
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
Assessors are blind to individuals' reports of perceived stress prior to and following the intervention, i.e. at all assessment times.
Intervention model description
Randomised controlled trial testing a brief digital intervention (SeApp) against a control group receiving only EMA
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 29 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* being enrolled at a Swiss university * aged between 18 and 29 years * experiencing at least moderate stress (score of ≥13 on the Perceived Stress Scale * owning a smartphone * speaking fluent German
Exclusion criteria
-current psychiatric disorder
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| General self-efficacy | change from baseline to 1 day post intervention; time frame: 1 week | The General Self-Efficacy Scale (Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 1995; Tipton & Worthington, 1984) will measure the general self-efficacy. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Positive and negative affect | The Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Krohne, Egloff, Kohlmann, & Tausch, 1996; Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1988) will measure positive and negative affect. | change from baseline to 1 day post intervention; time frame: 1 week |
| Hope | change from baseline to 1 day post intervention; time frame: 1 week | The Trait Hope Scale (Krause, 2002; Snyder et al., 1991) will measure hope. |
| Depression | The Beck Depression Inventory-II (Beck, Steer, Ball, & Ranieri, 1996; Kuhner, Burger, Keller, & Hautzinger, 2007) will measure depression. | change from baseline to 1 day post intervention; time frame: 1 week |
| Anxiety | change from baseline to 1 day post intervention; time frame: 1 week | State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Laux, Glanzmann, Schaffner, & Spielberger, 1981; Spielberger, Gorsuch, Lushene, Gagg, & Jacobs, 1983) will measure state and trait anxiety. |
| Hopelessness | change from baseline to 1 day post intervention; time frame: 1 week | The Beck Hopelessness Scale (Beck, Weissman, Lester, & Trexler, 1974; Kliem, Lohmann, Mossle, & Brahler, 2018) will measure hopelessness. |
| Perceived stress | change from screening to 1 day post intervention; time frame: 1 week | The Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelstein, 1983; Klein et al., 2016) will measure perceived stress. |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Specific self-efficacy | daily measured in training group only; changes in the course of the study participation | Specific self-efficacy will be captured once per day. Questions will focus on e. g. the participant's level of agreement with statements such as Right now, I think I will be able to do what is necessary to make this training successful. |
| Virtual context | daily measured; changes in the course of the study participation | EMA will capture virtual context at 10 time points per day during the one week study participation. Questions will be about who the person is with and how they feel about it. |
| Dissatisfaction with social contacts | daily measured; changes in the course of the study participation | EMA will capture dissatisfaction with social contacts at 10 time points per day during the one week study participation. There will be two options indicating dissatisfaction with social contacts: (a) being with nobody and feeling excluded or wanting to be with someone or (b) being with someone and rather wanting to be alone. We combined these into one variable. |
| Positive and negative affect | Daily measured; changes in the course of the study participation | EMA will capture positive and negative mood at 10 time points per day during the one week study participation. We will measure positive mood using three items (cheerful, happy, and relaxed) and negative mood using seven items (irritated, anxious, insecure, lonely, sad, overthinking, and stressed). |
Countries
Switzerland
Outcome results
None listed