Can Facebook Reduce Perceived Anxiety Among College Students? A Randomized Controlled Exercise Trial Using the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change

Examine the utility of the Transtheoretical Model in influencing anxiety among college students. Employ a randomized controlled intervention including a static and dynamic Facebook intervention. The static group accessed a Facebook page featuring 96 statuses. Statuses were intended to engage cognitive processes, followed by behavioral processes of change per the Transtheoretical Model of behavior change. Content posted on the static Facebook page was identical to the dynamic page. However, the static group viewed all 96 statuses on the first day of the study, while the dynamic group received only 1-2 of these status updates per day throughout the intervention. Anxiety was measured using the Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale (OASIS). Time spent engaging in physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ).