Mindfulness to Mitigate Psychological Threat and Improve Engagement and Learning in Introductory Physics Courses

NCT04589377 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: STUDY19050258 Part 1
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 149
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This project involves testing a brief mindfulness training program to reduce students' psychological threat and support motivation, engagement, and learning in introductory undergraduate physics courses. The investigators predict that, compared to a control condition, mindfulness training will reduce psychological threat and increase motivation, engagement, and learning in physics.

Conditions

Stress

Keywords

psychological threat; motivation; engagement; physics education; mindfulness

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (10)

• Mean differences in Psychological Threat measured via Ecological Momentary Assessment

  Perceived physics demands and physics coping resources, measured using self-report items with Likert scale from 1 to 6. Psychological threat is calculated by subtracting average of physics demands from average of physics resources. Psychological threat ranges from -5 to 5, with scores above zero indicating psychological threat and scores of 0 or lower indicating psychological challenge.

  Up to 3 days post-random assignment

• Mean differences in Physics Motivation assessed via Ecological Momentary Assessment

  State motivation to do physics work, measured using self-report items with Likert scale from 1 to 4. Physics motivation is calculated as an average of all items. Physics motivation ranges from 1 to 4, with higher scores indicating greater motivation to do physics work.

  Up to 3 days post-random assignment

• Mean change in Psychological Threat measured via Self-Report

  Perceived physics demands and physics coping resources, measured using self-report items with Likert scale from 1 to 6. Psychological threat is calculated by subtracting average of physics demands from average of physics resources. Psychological threat ranges from -5 to 5, with scores above zero indicating psychological threat and scores of 0 or lower indicating psychological challenge.

  Up to three months post-intervention

• Mean change in Physics Interest measured via Self-Report

  The degree by which student's want to know or learn about physics, measured using self-report items with Likert scale from 1 to 4. Physics interest is calculated as an average of all items. Physics interest ranges from 1 to 4, with higher scores indicating greater interest in learning about physics.

  Up to three months post-intervention

• Mean change in Physics Self-Efficacy measured via Self-Report

  Beliefs about the ability to perform well in physics, measured using self-report items with Likert scale from 1 to 4. Physics self-efficacy is calculated as an average of all items. Physics self-efficacy ranges from 1 to 4, with higher scores indicated greater self-efficacy to perform well in physics.

  Up to three months post-intervention

• Mean change in Physics Value measured via Self-Report

  Perceived value of learning physics, measured using self-report items with Likert scale from 1 to 6. Physics value is calculated as an average of all items. Physics value ranges from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater perceived value of physics learning.

  Up to three months post-intervention

• Mean change in Physics Identity measured via Self-Report

  The degree by which students identify their self-concept with physics, measured using self-report items with Likert scale from 1 to 6. Physics identity is calculated as an average of all items. Physics identity ranges from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater self-identification with physics.

  Up to three months post-intervention

• Mean change in Physics Belonging measured via Self-Report

  Student's sense of belonging in their physics course, measured using self-report items with Likert scale from 1 to 5. Physics belonging is calculated as an average of all items. Physics belonging ranges from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating greater sense of belonging in physics.

  Up to three months post-intervention

• Mean change in Physics Achievement Goals measured via Self-Report

  Goals related to mastery approach, performance approach, or performance avoidance, measured using self-report items with Likert scale from 1 to 6. Each subscale is calculated as an average of all of the items for each subscale. Physics achievement goals range from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater mastery approach, performance approach, or performance avoidance goals.

  Up to three months post-intervention

• Mean change in Physics Growth Mindset measured via Self-Report

  Beliefs that intelligence and abilities for physics can be developed through dedication and hard work, measured using self-report items with Likert scale from 1 to 6. Growth mindset is calculated as an average of all items. Growth mindset ranges from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater growth mindsets and lower scores indicating greater fixed mindsets.

  Up to three months post-intervention

Secondary Outcomes (10)

• Mean differences in Meaning Making and Positive Reappraisal assessed via Ecological Momentary Assessment

  Up to 3 days post-random assignment

• Mean differences in Affect assessed via Ecological Momentary Assessment

  Up to 3 days post-random assignment

• Mean differences in Mindfulness assessed via Ecological Momentary Assessment

  Up to 3 days post-random assignment

• Mean differences in Equanimity assessed via Ecological Momentary Assessment

  Up to 3 days post-random assignment

• Mean change in Meaning Making and Positive Reappraisal assessed via Self-Report

  Up to three months post-intervention

Other Outcomes (9)

• Mean differences in Performance in Physics Class

  End of semester, approximately 12 weeks

• Mean differences in Retention in Physics Classes

  End of following semester, approximately 7 months

• Mean change in Physics Failure Mindset assessed via Self-Report

  Up to three months post-intervention

Study Arms (2)

Mindfulness Training

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants receive 20 minutes of mindfulness training per day for five continuous days (Monday through Friday). Training is delivered remotely to participants' computers and smartphones.

Behavioral: Mindfulness Training

No-Training

NO INTERVENTION

Participants do not receive training. On Monday and Friday, they listen to a 20 minute audiobook to match for time.

Interventions

Mindfulness Training BEHAVIORAL

Training is focused on learning the principle of RAIN (recognize, accept, investigate, non-identify) in the context of physics learning.

Mindfulness Training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• at least 18 years of age
• current University of Pittsburgh student
• fluent in written and spoken English
• enrolled in introductory physics
• self-reported psychological threat in physics

You may not qualify if:

• under 18 years of age
• not a current University of Pittsburgh student
• not fluent in written and spoken English
• not enrolled in introductory physics
• does not meet self-report psychological threat in physics

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Pittsburgh: lead
• U.S. National Science Foundation: collaborator
• James S McDonnell Foundation: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15260, United States

Location

Study Officials

• Brian Galla, PhD

  University of Pittsburgh

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Timothy Nokes-Malach, PhD

  University of Pittsburgh

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 8, 2020
• First Posted: October 19, 2020
• Study Start: October 26, 2020
• Primary Completion: February 7, 2022
• Study Completion: December 31, 2022
• Last Updated: January 9, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: ANALYTIC CODE
• Time Frame: Data and analytic code will be shared upon publication.
• Access Criteria: Data and analytic code will be shared on Open Science Framework (or other online repository)

Locations

US (1)