Using online interventions to deliver college student mental health resources: Evidence from randomized clinical trials.

Abstract

This study evaluated the efficacy of Internet-based stress management programs for college students. This approach is particularly fitting for students owing to a lack of mental health resources on campus and to high levels of Internet use among students. Because a history of interpersonal trauma (IPT) is associated with more distress and poorer academic performance, IPT history was assessed as a moderator of intervention efficacy. Students (N = 365) were randomly assigned to a mindfulness plus present control intervention, a mindfulness only intervention, or a stress management information condition that served as an active comparison. Prior research has supported the efficacy of the mindfulness plus present control intervention (Nguyen-Feng et al., 2015). Outcome measures were self-report measures of stress, anxiety, depression, and perceived stress completed online at preintervention, postintervention, and 2 follow-ups (2-3 weeks and 4-5 weeks postintervention). Linear mixed modeling was used to assess change over time. Participants in all 3 groups reported significant decreases on all primary outcomes. All time-by-intervention group interaction effects were nonsignificant, suggesting that the 3 conditions were equally effective. When examining IPT history as a moderator, the mindfulness plus present control and stress management conditions were both more effective for IPT survivors than the mindfulness only intervention. Results suggested that Internet-based interventions are effective for lowering distress among college students and that specific approaches may be differentially effective for certain subgroups of students. They also suggested that providing students with stress management information without providing training in 1 specific skill may also be helpful. (PsycINFO Database Record

Effectiveness of a guided online mindfulness-focused intervention in a student population: Study protocol for a randomised control trial

“…Several studies reported no follow-up measurements 60 62 63 136. Other studies used different intervals for the follow-up measurement after the intervention, ranging from two weeks up to six months 28 43 61 134 137. To focus on the longitudinal effects of our intervention, we examine participants again six months after randomisation.…”

“…Moreover, Stallman and Kavanagh39 as well as Ebert et al 26 observed that university students show a high acceptance for and usability of online interventions. A growing body of research found that online interventions are helpful to improve mental health conditions 26 40–45. These effects can be enhanced by therapeutic guidance, meaning that participants receive additional support from an expert, either online or face-to-face while receiving the online intervention 6 46…”

“…Numerous studies43 60–63 and meta-analyses64 65 found evidence for the efficacy of online mindfulness-based interventions with the focus on self-reported health variables (eg, depression, anxiety, and stress). For example, Spijkerman et al 64 compared 15 randomised control trials and showed small to medium effect sizes regarding the reduction of anxiety (g=0.22; 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.39), improvement of depression (g=0.29; 95% CI: 0.13 to 0.46), well-being (g=0.23; 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.38), and mindfulness (g=0.32; 95% CI: 0.23 to 0.42) in healthy samples as well as samples with mental disorders.…”

Web-Based Perceived Present Control Intervention for Voice Disorders: A Pilot Study

“…The average effect size across four outcomes was small to moderate. Additional clinical trials have further established the efficacy of the perceived control intervention for reducing stress-related symptoms [16][17][18][19] . Increases in perceived present control also appeared to be the mechanism of change in symptoms 15,17 .…”

Users’ Intrinsic Goals Linked to Alcohol Dependence Risk Level and Engagement With a Health Promotion Website (Hello Sunday Morning): Observational Study

“…Importantly, these programs are also often effective. Web-based interventions have been useful in decreasing illicit substance use [ 4 ], smoking cessation [ 5 ], healthy weight management [ 6 ], and the promotion of mental health [ 7 ].…”