Chatbot-based Internet Intervention for Stress Among University Students (Stressbot)

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Stress, Psychological

• Registration Number: NCT05500209
• Lead Sponsor: University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to verify the efficacy of chatbot internet intervention for reduction of stress and improvement of quality of life among university students through the enhancement of coping self-efficacy.

Detailed Description

University students experience high stress levels and mental health risks. Research shows that increasing resources such as coping self-efficacy can reduce stress. Internet interventions can be successfully employed to deliver programs for improving university students' mental health.

The primary objective of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate short- and long-term efficacy of coping self-efficacy enhancing intervention in reducing university students' stress and improving quality of life. The intervention will be delivered through a Facebook Messenger chat-bot. The secondary goal is to investigate acceptability of a chat-bot delivered intervention.

Participants will be recruited via social media and randomized to 1 of 2 groups: (1) experimental condition increasing coping self-efficacy with a 7-day program delivered through a chat-bot, or (2) waitlist control group. Outcomes include perceived stress and quality of life. Measurements will be taken at baseline (T1), immediately after intervention (T2), at 1 month follow-up (T3), and at 6 months follow-up (T4). Linear mixed effects model will be used to analyze the data.

The study aims to assess Stressbot's potential benefit for improving university students' well-being. Moreover, it will provide insight into feasibility of using chat-bots for delivering smartphone-based e-health treatments.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2022-08-11
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-08-11
• Study First Posted: 2022-08-15
• Study Start: 2022-10-10
• Primary Completion: 2022-11-13
• Study Completion: 2022-11-13
• Status Verified: 2023-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-01-31
• Last Update Posted: 2023-02-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 372

Inclusion Criteria

• Age of at least 18 years
• University students
• Mobile personal device with internet access

Exclusion Criteria

• Not meeting at least 1 inclusion criteria

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change on Brunnsviken Brief Quality of Life Scale (BBQ)	Change from baseline on BBQ (6 months)	The BBQ is a measure of quality of life. It consists of 12 items with response scale from 0 to 4. Higher total score represents higher quality of life.
Change on Perceived Stress Scale 4 (PSS-4)	Change from baseline on PSS-4 (6 month)	The PSS-4 is a measure of perceived stress. It consists of 4 items with response scale from 1 to 4. Higher total score represents higher perceived stress.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES)	Change from baseline on CSES (6 months)	The CSES is a measure of coping self-efficacy. It consists of 26 items with response scale from 1 to 10. Higher total score represents higher coping self-efficacy.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities; 🇵🇱 Warsaw, Poland