Stress Management for Depression

Overseen By Adam Horwitz, Ph.D.

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Michigan

Disqualifiers: Under 17, Receiving mental health care

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

120 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This research study is being conducted to better understand how college students develop and cope with stress and to identify opportunities to help students notice and respond to stress early before symptoms contribute to significant negative consequences. This project will be completed in two parts. In the first part (not a trial) participants will be asked to complete a screening survey to determine eligibility. Eligible participants (i.e., those with mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms and not receiving mental health care) will continue into the clinical trial portion (part two). There were 120 students in the clinical trial phase of the study, where 30 were randomly assigned to "assessment only" and 90 to the "intervention" condition.

Research Team

Adam Horwitz, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

University of Michigan

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for first-year college students at the University of Michigan, either Ann Arbor or Flint campuses. It's aimed at those who have mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms but are not currently receiving professional mental health services.

Inclusion Criteria

I am a first-year student at the University of Michigan, either full-time or part-time.

I have mild to moderate depression and am not seeing a mental health professional.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Intervention

Participants receive surveys, text messages, and feedback reports

6 weeks

Weekly surveys

Assessment Only

Participants complete weekly surveys without additional interventions

6 weeks

Weekly surveys

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for satisfaction with the intervention components

6 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Personalized Feedback (PF) Report
• Supportive Text messages

Trial Overview The study is testing how surveys, personalized feedback reports, and supportive text messages can help students manage stress. Participants will be randomly placed into an 'assessment only' group or an 'intervention' group that receives these tools.

Participant Groups

Group I: Intervention - surveys, text messages, and feedback reports Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

Participants in the intervention arm will be randomized to receive (or not receive) text messages in a given week, with a daily randomization to receive (or not receive) a text message if randomized to receive text messages that week. Additionally, participants will be randomized each week to receive (or not receive) personalized feedback reports.

Group II: Assessment Only Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Weekly surveys only.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Michigan

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,891

Recruited

6,458,000+

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Collaborator

Trials

3,007

Recruited

2,852,000+