Replication: Meaning-centered Intervention for Internalizing Symptoms

NCT07714954 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: PSY-2526-S-0246
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 140
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

Young adults who experience depression and/or anxiety symptoms (i.e., internalizing symptoms) will be randomly allocated to a six-session meaning-centered intervention condition or a waitlist condition. Both conditions receive the same questionnaires at baseline, post assessment (intervention condition: immediately after the final session; waitlist: four weeks after baseline), and follow-up. The researchers hypothesize that a meaning-centered intervention for individuals with internalizing symptoms will increase participants' meaning in life and reduce their internalizing symptoms at post assessment and 4-week follow-up when compared to a waitlist condition.

Conditions

Depression and/or Anxiety Symptoms

Keywords

meaning in life; meaning-centered intervention; internalizing symptoms; depression symptoms; anxiety symptoms

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21)

  self-report questionnaire: DASS-21: sum score (0-63), 4-point Likert scale (0-3), higher scores indicating higher internalizing symptoms)

  Time Frame: at baseline; post (one month after baseline); one-month follow-up (one month after post)

• Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ); presence of meaning subscale

  self-report questionnaire: MLQ: sum score (5-35), 7-point Likert scale (1-7), higher scores indicating higher presence of life meaning

  Time Frame: at baseline; post (one month after baseline); one-month follow-up (one month after post)

Study Arms (2)

Meaning-centered intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

* Participants receive a meaning-centered intervention consisting of six 1-hour online sessions led by a trainer. * Interventions: Behavioral: Meaning-centered intervention for individuals who tend to feel down or anxious

Behavioral: Meaning-centered intervention for individuals who tend to feel down or anxious

Waitlist control

NO INTERVENTION

\- No task or intervention is assigned to participants in this arm.

Interventions

Meaning-centered intervention for individuals who tend to feel down or anxious BEHAVIORAL

* Six 1-hour individual online sessions, approximately every 4 days * Sessions led by a certified trainer based on intervention manual * Four sources of meaning will be explored: personal life story, dealing with life's limitations, creating one's own life, and meaningful experiences * Participants follow intervention using intervention the workbook * Homework assignments designed to deepen participants' experience and reflection on meaning in their daily lives

Also known as: Meaning-centered intervention for internalizing symptoms adapted from the intervention "Meaning-centered intervention for youth worrying about their weight and shape".

Meaning-centered intervention

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• heightened internalizing symptoms (depression and/or anxiety symptoms) as indicated by PHQ-4 score of 2 or above on either the anxiety or depression subscale

You may not qualify if:

• receiving psychotherapeutic treatment for a depressive or anxiety disorder
• suicidality

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Groningen: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depression; Anxiety Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 23, 2026
• First Posted: July 20, 2026
• Study Start: October 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): February 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): February 1, 2028
• Last Updated: August 14, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share