WOOP Intervention for Stress Reduction in Healthy Students

Overseen By Katherine C Cheng, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Arizona

Disqualifiers: Under 18, Not enrolled students

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

39 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

Higher education is crucial for young adults in their intake of knowledge and skills to further their careers and reach their potentials. However, going through college is not necessarily an easy path. The purpose of this study is to enhance university students' well-being and educational experience by examining factors associated with stress and well-being. The investigator plans to recruit eighty participants from a large public university in the US to provide survey data and saliva samples at two waves during the data collection semester (beginning and end of the semester). Survey data will include demographic information and help gauge psychosocial factors related to stress and well-being. Saliva will be tested for two biomarkers each wave of data collection, cortisol (sampling three times a day for diurnal patterns for two consecutive days) and c-reactive protein, which indicate physiological stress/immune responses. Additionally, participants be randomly assigned to an intervention (n = 40) or control group (n = 40), where the intervention group will undertake a brief intervention focused on motivation and emotion regulation circa mid-semester and the control group will receive a placebo goal-setting short training. The investigator aims to examine whether intervention efforts can enhance end-of-semester psychological and physiological well-being, and particularly, whether students from diverse backgrounds (e.g., first-generation, low-income, and/or BIPOC) can benefit from the intervention. The investigator will use advanced quantitative data analysis (using Mplus v.8, in a structural equation modeling framework) to examine intervention efficacy and group differences. The investigator hypothesizes that those receiving the intervention will display a healthier profile at the end of the semester compared to their control group counterparts; and the investigator hypothesize students from diverse backgrounds will have significantly improved results from the intervention. The study will allow a better understanding to crucial steps towards exploring how to improve the well-being, higher-education pipeline, and retention of students with diverse backgrounds, providing insight on how each student's university experience can be improved.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

How is the WOOP intervention treatment different from other stress reduction treatments for students?

The WOOP intervention is unique because it focuses on a mental strategy that helps students identify their wishes, the outcomes they desire, the obstacles they face, and the plans to overcome them, which is different from other stress reduction methods that may focus on physical activity, cognitive behavioral therapy, or online programs. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

What data supports the effectiveness of the WOOP intervention for stress reduction in healthy students?

Research shows that goal-setting programs can improve academic performance, and web-based stress management interventions are effective, especially for students with high stress levels. These findings suggest that structured interventions like WOOP, which involve setting and planning goals, may help reduce stress in students. ^{2 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Katherine C Cheng, PhD

Principal Investigator

Assistant Research Professor

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for students enrolled at a large public university in the Southwest of the US, aiming to support their well-being and retention. Participants must be over 18 years old. It focuses on those who may face stress during college, including first-generation, low-income, and BIPOC students.

Inclusion Criteria

participants who are currently enrolled students at a large public university in the Southwest of US.

Exclusion Criteria

I am over 18 and currently enrolled at the university.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Data Collection

Participants provide survey data and saliva samples at the beginning of the semester

1 week

1 visit (in-person)

Intervention

Intervention group undertakes a brief intervention focused on motivation and emotion regulation; control group receives a placebo goal-setting short training

Mid-semester

1 visit (in-person)

End-of-Semester Data Collection

Participants provide survey data and saliva samples at the end of the semester

1 week

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for psychological and physiological well-being after the intervention

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Contextualized Wish-Outcome-Obstacle-Plan (WOOP) intervention
• Placebo

Trial Overview The study tests a motivational intervention called WOOP against a placebo goal-setting training. Eighty participants will provide survey data and saliva samples for stress biomarkers at the semester's start and end to see if the intervention improves emotional regulation and motivation.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Intervention group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Group II: Placebo control group Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Arizona

Lead Sponsor

Trials

545

Recruited

161,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

A study involving 150 university students demonstrated that a novel imagery-based intervention significantly changed stress mindset immediately after the intervention and two weeks later, compared to a control group.

The intervention also positively impacted stress-related outcomes, such as perceived distress, emotional well-being, proactive behavior, and academic performance, particularly in students who initially reported high levels of distress.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Changing stress mindsets with a novel imagery intervention: A randomized controlled trial. Keech, JJ., Hagger, MS., Hamilton, K.[2021]

A study involving 286 high school students tested a 3-session stress management training program, but it did not significantly reduce stress levels compared to a control group.

While the training increased students' knowledge about stress, it did not show notable improvements in coping behaviors or emotional well-being, suggesting that a one-size-fits-all approach may not be effective for preventing stress in adolescents.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Cluster-randomized, controlled evaluation of stress management training for high school students]. Eppelmann, L., Parzer, P., Lenzen, C., et al.[2019]

An intensive online goal-setting program significantly improved academic performance in struggling undergraduate students, as shown in a study with 85 participants over a 4-month period.

The goal-setting intervention was found to be a quick, effective, and low-cost solution to help students who were at risk of dropping out due to poor academic progress.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Setting, elaborating, and reflecting on personal goals improves academic performance. Morisano, D., Hirsh, JB., Peterson, JB., et al.[2015]

A web-based stress management intervention was found to be particularly effective for college students who had higher baseline levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, based on an analysis of data from 782 participants across three studies.

The study suggests that the intervention may be more beneficial as a targeted approach for students already experiencing significant distress, rather than as a universal program for all students.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Moderators of the efficacy of a web-based stress management intervention for college students. Coudray, C., Palmer, R., Frazier, P.[2019]

The Internet-based CAPS daily diary program effectively gathered detailed data on individual stressors and coping behaviors, allowing for personalized analysis of each participant's unique stress response patterns.

The study found that using this daily diary approach improved the efficacy of clinical stress-management interventions, leading to increased self-regulatory capabilities and life satisfaction among participants.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cognitive-affective processing system analysis of intra-individual dynamics in collaborative therapeutic assessment: translating basic theory and research into clinical applications. Shoda, Y., Wilson, NL., Chen, J., et al.[2013]

The Healthy High School (HHS) intervention, which aimed to reduce stress among first-year high school students through various school-level initiatives, showed no significant difference in perceived stress levels compared to a control group after 9 months, with both groups reporting similar stress scores.

This study, involving 5201 students in Denmark, highlights the challenges of implementing effective stress-reduction programs in school environments, suggesting that the intervention may not have adequately addressed the specific stressors faced by adolescents.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Preventing Stress among High School Students in Denmark through the Multicomponent Healthy High School Intervention-The Effectiveness at First Follow-Up. Bonnesen, CT., Thygesen, LC., Rod, NH., et al.[2023]

The MyStudentBody-Stress online intervention did not show significant differences in primary stress control outcomes compared to control groups, but it did lead to increased physical activity and improved stress management techniques among participants.

Participants in the MyStudentBody-Stress group reported decreased anxiety and family problems, suggesting that the program may have beneficial effects on overall well-being for college students under stress.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

MyStudentBody-Stress: an online stress management intervention for college students. Chiauzzi, E., Brevard, J., Thum, C., et al.[2022]

The 'Study without Stress' program significantly reduced self-reported stress and distress among 56 final year students, while also improving their self-efficacy, with these benefits maintained over a 3-month follow-up period.

The program did not show significant changes in anxiety, depression, or teacher-reported emotional problems, indicating its specific effectiveness in addressing academic stress rather than broader emotional issues.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomised Controlled Trial of Study Without Stress: A Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Program to Reduce Stress in Students in the Final Year of High School. Lowe, C., Wuthrich, VM.[2023]

The Frustration Social Stressor for Adolescents (FSS-A) is a newly developed experimental procedure that effectively induces physiological stress responses in adolescents, such as increased cortisol and heart rate, by simulating real-life frustration scenarios like peer debates.

This innovative stress protocol allows for a better understanding of how adolescents respond to frustration, which can inform educational and therapeutic interventions aimed at improving mental health outcomes in this age group.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Frustration Social Stressor for Adolescents (FSS-A): A newly adapted psychosocial stressor. McKay, SL., Fouladirad, S., Cameron, CA.[2021]

Citations

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Changing stress mindsets with a novel imagery intervention: A randomized controlled trial. [2021]

2. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Cluster-randomized, controlled evaluation of stress management training for high school students]. [2019]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Setting, elaborating, and reflecting on personal goals improves academic performance. [2015]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Moderators of the efficacy of a web-based stress management intervention for college students. [2019]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cognitive-affective processing system analysis of intra-individual dynamics in collaborative therapeutic assessment: translating basic theory and research into clinical applications. [2013]

6. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Preventing Stress among High School Students in Denmark through the Multicomponent Healthy High School Intervention-The Effectiveness at First Follow-Up. [2023]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

MyStudentBody-Stress: an online stress management intervention for college students. [2022]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomised Controlled Trial of Study Without Stress: A Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Program to Reduce Stress in Students in the Final Year of High School. [2023]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Frustration Social Stressor for Adolescents (FSS-A): A newly adapted psychosocial stressor. [2021]