A Short, Animated Storytelling Video to Boost Psychological Capital

NCT05718973 | Unknown

• 1 other identifier: EduEntertainPsy_23
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 10,000
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This study will evaluate the effect of a short, animated storytelling intervention video on positive psychological capital intervention on immediate and medium-term psychological capital and related constructs, gratitude and happiness. We will also measure voluntary engagement with the content of the short, animated storytelling intervention video on positive psychological capital. In this 4-armed, parallel, randomized controlled trial, 10,000 adult, US participants will be randomly assigned to (1) a short, animated storytelling intervention video on positive psychological capital followed by the psychological capital , gratitude and happiness surveys (2) the surveys only, (3) an attention placebo control video followed by the before mentioned surveys, and (4) an arm that is exposed to neither the video nor the surveys. Two weeks later, participants in all four arms will complete all of the surveys. The primary outcome is psychological capital (immediate and medium-term). Secondary outcomes are gratitude and happiness (immediate and medium-term) as well as voluntary engagement with the short, animated storytelling video content.

Conditions

Psychological Capital

Keywords

psychological capital; education entertainment intervention; short, animated storytelling

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Immediate effect of the short, animated storytelling intervention video on positive psychological capital

  The immediate effect of the short, animated storytelling intervention video on positive psychological capital, as measured by the CPC-12R, the GQ-6 and the single-item validated happiness scale.

  immediately after watching the video

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Medium-term effect of the short, animated storytelling intervention video on psychological capital

  2 weeks

• Immediate effect of the short, animated storytellingintervention video on gratitude and happiness

  immediately after watching the video

• Medium-term effect of exposure to psychological capital and related psychological scales on these same outcomes

  2 weeks

Study Arms (4)

Intervention Arm

EXPERIMENTAL

At Time 1, the Intervention Arm will view a short, animated storytelling video designed to promote psychological capital and, immediately thereafter, complete the CPC-12R, the GQ-6 as well as a single-item validated happiness scale. Two weeks later, the participants will complete the CPC-12R, the GQ-6 and the single-item validated happiness scale.

Other: short, animated storytelling video (intervention video)

Scale-Exposed Control Arm

NO INTERVENTION

The Scale-Exposed Control Arm will watch no video content at Time 1, but will complete the CPC-12R, the GQ-6 as well as a single-item validated happiness scale. Two weeks later, the participants will complete the CPC-12R, the GQ-6 and the single-item validated happiness scale.

Attention Placebo Control Arm

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

The Attention Placebo Control Arm will view an attention placebo control video, unrelated to the outcomes measured in this trial, before completing the CPC-12R, the GQ-6 and the single-item validated happiness scale. Two weeks later, the participants will complete the CPC-12R, the GQ-6 and the single-item validated happiness scale.

Other: short, animated storytelling attention placebo video

Un-exposed Control Arm

NO INTERVENTION

The Un-exposed Control Arm will neither watch video content, nor complete the CPC-12R, the GQ-6 and the single-item validated happiness scale at Time 1. Two weeks later, the participants will complete the CPC-12R, the GQ-6 and the single-item validated happiness scale.

Interventions

short, animated storytelling video (intervention video) OTHER

Participants in the Intervention Arm will view a short, animated storytelling video designed to promote psychological capital.

Intervention Arm

short, animated storytelling attention placebo video OTHER

The Attention Placebo Control Arm will view an attention placebo control video, unrelated to the outcomes measured in this trial.

Attention Placebo Control Arm

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 59 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Registration with the Prolific platform

You may not qualify if:

• none

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Hospital Freiburg: lead
• Stanford University: collaborator
• Heidelberg University: collaborator

Related Publications (1)

• Adam M, Rohr J, Greuel M, Nguyen K, Aziz MAE, Gates J, Uberreiter C, Supady A, Barnighausen T. Measuring the effect of short, animated storytelling videos to boost psychological capital in US adults: a randomized controlled trial. Sci Rep. 2025 Nov 18;15(1):40326. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-26894-1.

  PMID: 41254108 DERIVED

Study Officials

• Till Bärnighausen, Prof. Dr.

  Heidelberg University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Maya Adam, MD

CONTACT

+1 650 839 3600; madam@stanford.edu

Alexander Supady, MD, MPH

CONTACT

+4976127073790; alexander.supady@uniklinik-freiburg.de

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: All study investigators and researchers involved in the data analyses will remain blinded to the trial arm allocation for the entire study duration. Unblinding will not be required.
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Attending Physician

Model Details: This is a 4-armed, parallel, randomized controlled trial, conducted purely online

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 30, 2023
• First Posted: February 8, 2023
• Study Start: June 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: July 31, 2023
• Study Completion: August 31, 2023
• Last Updated: May 10, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share