Examining the Acceptability and Effectiveness of a Self-Directed, Web-Based Resource for Stress and Coping in University: Randomized Controlled Trial

NCT07086001 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 21-10-040253619
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 242
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

University students consistently report high levels of stress and psychological distress and identify these as key factors that negatively impact their academic performance and engagement with their studies. Supporting students in effectively coping with stress and distress is of critical importance to facilitate learning and development in university environments. To that end, technology-based approaches to delivering stress-management and well-being supports to university students have proliferated on campuses as supplemental means of supporting student stress management, coping capacity, and well-being. Indeed, online resources for students' self-directed use such as websites, apps, or on-demand workshops, are increasingly popular given their benefits in improving access to support as well as the potential for reaching students who may be reluctant to seek other forms of mental health support or are on waiting lists for more specialized services. In addition, the provision of resources for addressing stress and enhancing coping capacity is aligned with the recently proposed health theory of coping which calls for enhancing the availability of evidence-based healthy coping strategies. However, investigation into the acceptability, and even more critically the effectiveness of online, self-directed resources for non-clinical stress-management and healthy coping support is limited. Thus, this study sought to explore the acceptability and effectiveness of a self-directed, web-based resource for enhancing students' stress-management and coping capacity. Furthermore, the study also examined if there would be any added benefit of screening students to assess stress and coping needs and then directing them to specific resources to match their needs for stress-management and healthy coping support.

Conditions

Stress; Coping; Coping Behavior; Well-Being (Psychological Flourishing); Digital Intervention

Keywords

stress; coping; university students; digital intervention

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Stress

  The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS; Cohen, 1988) is a widely used self-report measure of individuals' perception of stress. This measure contains 10 items in which participants indicate their experience of stress on a 5-point Likert scale (0 = never to 4 = very often). Items were adapted to reflect experiences during the past week and include statements such as "In the past week, how often have you felt difficulties were piling up so high that you could not overcome them?" Ratings were averaged across items such that higher scores represented greater perceived stress. The PSS has good reliability (Cronbach's α = .89), construct validity, and predictive validity with reports of psychological and physical symptoms.

  Week 1, 5 & 9

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Acceptability of the Resource

  Week 1, 5 & 9

• Change in Coping Self-efficacy

  Week 1, 5 & 9

• Change in Coping Behaviours

  Week 1, 5 & 9

• Change in Well-being

  Week 1, 5 & 9

Study Arms (3)

Directed

EXPERIMENTAL

Website presenting a collection of stress-management, motivation, healthy coping, well-being, and socializing resources + brief screener directing students to tailored resources based on responses to the screener (demonstrating low, moderate, or high need for support around stress and coping).

Behavioral: stress management and coping

Non-directed

EXPERIMENTAL

Website presenting a collection of stress-management, motivation, healthy coping, well-being, and socializing resources (no tailored resource or screener was received for this group).

Behavioral: stress management and coping

Waitlist Comparison

NO INTERVENTION

Did not have access to the strategies during the project, the full web-based resource was shared with the comparison group at the end of data collection.

Interventions

stress management and coping BEHAVIORAL

Online intervention focusing on stress and coping in university students. All resources were grouped in five main categories: Managing Stress, Enhancing Performance, Adulting, Socialising, and Well-being. The resource was hosted on a website and presented information in several multimedia formats (i.e., text, audio, video, interactive infographic) to account for diversity of preferences. All students in the intervention groups were provided with unlimited access to the intervention. Furthermore, all students were asked to complete screener questions on their stress and coping but only students in the directed group were directed to one of three unique pages on the website based on their responses on the screening questionnaire demonstrating low, moderate, or high need for support around stress and coping.

Directed; Non-directed

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• University student

Sponsors & Collaborators

• McGill University: lead

Study Sites (1)

McGill University

Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1X1, Canada

Location

Related Publications (13)

• Ma L, Zhang Y, Cui Z. Mindfulness-based interventions for prevention of depressive symptoms in university students: A meta-analytic review. Mindfulness. 2019;10:2209-2224. doi:10.1007/s12671-019-01192-w

  BACKGROUND

• Ang WHD, Lau ST, Cheng LJ, Chew HSJ, Tan JH, Shorey S, et al. Effectiveness of resilience interventions for higher education students: A meta-analysis and metaregression. Journal of Educational Psychology. 2022;114(7):1670-1694. doi:10.1037/edu0000719

  BACKGROUND

• Conley CS, Durlak JA, Kirsch AC. A Meta-analysis of universal mental health prevention programs for higher education students. Prev Sci. 2015 May;16(4):487-507. doi: 10.1007/s11121-015-0543-1.

  PMID: 25744536 BACKGROUND

• Böke BN, Mills DJ, Mettler J, Heath NL. Stress and coping patterns of university students. Journal of College Student Development. 2019;60(1):85-103. doi:10.1353/csd.2019.0005

  BACKGROUND

• Swanson JA. Trends in literature about emerging adulthood: Review of empirical studies. Emerging Adulthood. 2016;4(6):391-402. doi:10.1177/2167696816630468

  BACKGROUND

• Arnett JJ. Emerging adulthood. A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. Am Psychol. 2000 May;55(5):469-80.

  PMID: 10842426 BACKGROUND

• Conley CS, Kirsch AC, Dickson DA, Bryant FB. Negotiating the transition to college: Developmental trajectories and gender differences in psychological functioning, cognitive-affective strategies, and social well-being. Emerging Adulthood. 2014;2(3):195-210. doi:10.1177%2F2167696814521808

  BACKGROUND

• Hill M, Farrelly N, Clarke C, Cannon M. Student mental health and well-being: Overview and Future Directions. Ir J Psychol Med. 2024 Jun;41(2):259-266. doi: 10.1017/ipm.2020.110. Epub 2020 Nov 27.

  PMID: 33243317 BACKGROUND

• Stallman HM. Health theory of coping. Australian Psychologist. 2020;55(4) :295-306. doi :10.1111/ap.12465

  BACKGROUND

• Harrer M, Adam SH, Fleischmann RJ, Baumeister H, Auerbach R, Bruffaerts R, Cuijpers P, Kessler RC, Berking M, Lehr D, Ebert DD. Effectiveness of an Internet- and App-Based Intervention for College Students With Elevated Stress: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res. 2018 Apr 23;20(4):e136. doi: 10.2196/jmir.9293.

  PMID: 29685870 BACKGROUND

• Stallman HM. Psychological distress in university students: A comparison with general population data. Australian Psychologist. 2010;45(4):249-257. doi:10.1080/00050067.2010.482109

  BACKGROUND

• Lattie EG, Adkins EC, Winquist N, Stiles-Shields C, Wafford QE, Graham AK. Digital Mental Health Interventions for Depression, Anxiety, and Enhancement of Psychological Well-Being Among College Students: Systematic Review. J Med Internet Res. 2019 Jul 22;21(7):e12869. doi: 10.2196/12869.

  PMID: 31333198 BACKGROUND

• Sharp J, Theiler S. A review of psychological distress among university students: Pervasiveness, implications and potential points of intervention. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling. 2018;40:193-212. doi:10.1007/s10447-018-9321-7

  BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Coping Skills

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior Therapy; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Distinguished James McGill Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 17, 2025
• First Posted: July 25, 2025
• Study Start: October 2, 2022
• Primary Completion: December 28, 2022
• Study Completion: December 28, 2022
• Last Updated: July 25, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CA (1)