Evaluating the Usability of a Web-Based Stress Management Course

Abstract

College students must continually deal with the pressures of deadlines, exams, and major life changes. Such stress can affect physical and emotional health, productivity, and lead to self-destructive coping mechanisms. Teaching students effective stress management skills is critical to their success and wellbeing. To help meet that educational need a Web-based stress management course entitled Stress and Self Care was developed. The objective of the first phase of the project was to examine the usability and acceptability of an eight-lesson prototype. College students from four universities participated in a pilot to provide formative evaluation. In addition, one student group was tested on recall of factual information contained in the first lesson. They showed significant recall of material at posttest compared to pretest. Overall the prototype was determined to be an effective strategy in terms of usability and acceptability.