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Feasibility and Efficacy of a Brief Digital Self-efficacy Training

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Self Efficacy
Stress
Interventions
Behavioral: Self-efficacy App
Registration Number
NCT05617248
Lead Sponsor
University of Zurich
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.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
94
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

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Experimental: Self-efficacy training (App)Self-efficacy AppThis group will receive a digital one week self-efficacy training with three training sessions per day and EMA (10 per day).
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
General self-efficacychange 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 Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Perceived stresschange 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.

Hopechange from baseline to 1 day post intervention; time frame: 1 week

The Trait Hope Scale (Krause, 2002; Snyder et al., 1991) will measure hope.

DepressionThe 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

Anxietychange 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.

Positive and negative affectThe 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

Hopelessnesschange 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.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Birgit Kleim

🇨🇭

Zurich, Select..., Switzerland

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