Best Possible Self-Tech for Middle Schoolers

NCT07540819 | Enrolling By Invitation

• 2 other identifiers: STUDY000020541P50MH139449-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 80
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to learn if a single-session writing exercise (i.e., Best Possible Self-Tech) can improve positive affect and prosocial technology use in a community sample of eighth graders. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. 1.Can the the Best Possible Self-Tech (BPS-Tech) intervention be feasibly and acceptably delivered in classrooms?
2. 2.What are the associations between textual features of BPS- Tech entries (e.g., length, vividness, positive tone) and post-intervention positive affect?
3. 3.How do participants describe their future prosocial online behavior ("doing good"), engagement with prosocial content ("seeing good") and associated positive emotions ("feeling good") in the BPS-Tech writing exercise?

Conditions

Technology Use; Positive Affect

Keywords

Best Possible Self; Prosocial Technology Use; Middle School; Positive Affect

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Child Short Form

  The PANAS-C-SF is a 10-item scale that measures expressed levels of positive and negative affect. Positive affect and negative affect subscale scores range from 5-25, where higher scores indicate higher levels of positive/negative affect.

  Baseline, immediately post-intervention, 1-week follow up, 1 month follow-up

• The Program Feedback Scale

  The Program Feedback Scale is a 7-item scale that measures the acceptability of an intervention. The scale was developed specifically for youth participating in single-session interventions. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale (range 0-4). Total scores range from 0-28, with higher scores indicating greater acceptability.

  Immediately post-intervention

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Prosocial Technology Use

  Baseline, 1-week follow up, 1-month follow up

• Digital Flourishing

  Baseline, 1-week follow up, 1-month follow up

Other Outcomes (1)

• Teacher-rated Intervention Feasibility

  Immediately post-intervention

Study Arms (1)

BPS-Tech

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Best Possible Self-Tech

Interventions

Best Possible Self-Tech BEHAVIORAL

The BPS is a structured writing exercise (i.e., 10 minutes) designed to help individuals imagine the details about their future selves assuming things have gone as well as they possibly could. In the technology-related adaptation, participants are directed to imagine how their best possible self would utilize technology. The goal of the intervention is to increase positive thinking and mindful engagement with technology by helping adolescents envision and articulate optimistic future possibilities for their digital lives.

BPS-Tech

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• eighth grade student enrolled in a participating middle school
• speaks and writes in English
• regular access to a web-enabled computer, tablet, or smartphone

You may not qualify if:

• current participation in psychotherapy for anxiety or depression
• a diagnosed cognitive or developmental impairment

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Oregon: lead
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Oregon

Eugene, Oregon, 97403-5237, United States

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 14, 2026
• First Posted: April 20, 2026
• Study Start: April 27, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 20, 2026
• Last Updated: May 1, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share

Locations

US (1)