Meaning-centered Intervention for Internalizing Symptoms

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Depressive and/or Anxiety Symptoms

• Registration Number: NCT07058181
• Lead Sponsor: University of Groningen

Brief Summary

Young adults with internalizing symptoms will be randomly assigned to a six-session meaning-centered intervention condition or a waitlist condition. Both conditions receive the same questionnaires at baseline, post assessment (intervention condition: immediately after the final session; waitlist: four weeks after baseline), and follow-up.

The researchers hypothesize that a meaning-centered intervention for individuals with internalizing symptoms will increase participants' meaning in life and reduce their internalizing symptoms at post assessment and 4-week follow-up when compared to a waitlist condition.

Detailed Description

First-year psychology students at the University of Groningen will be screened for depressive and anxiety symptoms. Those with heightened symptoms will be invited via e-mail to participate in the study. After filling out the baseline assessment online, participants will be randomly assigned to either a meaning-centered intervention condition, which will receive a meaning-centered intervention taking place approximately every four days, or a waitlist condition, which will be assigned no task. Participants in the intervention condition will follow six 1-hour online intervention sessions led by a trainer and conduct intervention-related homework assignments. The sessions can be followed in English, Dutch, or German. The intervention aims to increase participants' meaning in life and reduce their internalizing symptoms (i.e. depressive and/or anxiety symptoms). Immediately after the final session (i.e. approximately one month after the baseline assessment), participants in the intervention condition will be asked to fill in the post assessment, which includes the same questionnaires as the baseline assessment. Participants in the waitlist control will be asked to complete the post assessment one month after their baseline assessment. One month after the post assessment, participants in both conditions are asked to fill in same set of questionnaires. Waitlist participants are offered to receive the intervention sessions after the study has finished. Participants are compensated with SONA credits.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2024-11-28
• Status Verified: 2025-05
• Study First Submitted: 2025-05-16
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-07-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-07-04
• Study First Posted: 2025-07-10
• Last Update Posted: 2025-07-10
• Primary Completion: 2026-06-30
• Study Completion: 2026-06-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 142

Inclusion Criteria

• heightened internalizing symptoms (depressive and/or anxiety symptoms) as indicated by PHQ-4 total score of 2 or higher

Exclusion Criteria

• receiving psychotherapeutic treatment for a depressive or anxiety disorder
• suicidality

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Meaning in Life Questionnaire; Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales-21	at baseline; post (one month after baseline); one-month follow-up (one month after post)	questionnaire (MLQ: sum score (5-35), 7-point Likert scale (1-7), higher scores indicating higher presence of life meaning; DASS-21: sum score (0-33), 4-point Likert scale (0-3), higher scores indicating higher internalizing symptoms)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Dyscontrolled drinking; Three-dimensional meaning	at baseline; post (one month after baseline); one-month follow-up (one month after post)	questionnaire (Dyscontrolled drinking: sum score (3-27), 9-point Likert scale (1-9), higher scores indicating higher dyscontrolled drinking; Three-dimensional meaning: sum score (11-77), 7-Point Likert scale (1-7), higher scores indicating higher life meaning)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Heymans Institute; 🇳🇱 Groningen, Netherlands