A Mobile App to Address Student Loneliness

University of Oregon

Status: Completed

Conditions: Loneliness

Treatments: Behavioral: Loneliness Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT04164654

06072019.014

R34DA041637 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this trial is to assess the effects of a positive psychology and CBT-based skills intervention-delivered through a mobile app called Nod-on loneliness and other mental health and institutional satisfaction outcomes. The primary outcome is self-reported loneliness at 2 and 4-weeks post baseline.

Full description

This study is a pilot eight-week randomized controlled intervention. It employs a "waitlist" control strategy for the first 4 weeks of the study (considered to be the active study period).

Randomization will be to one of two conditions:

1. Experimental group: Immediate access to the Nod app
2. Waitlist control group: Participants will be granted access to the app four weeks after the experimental group

Assessments will occur at baseline, 2, 4, and 8 weeks follow up. Assessments will include measures of loneliness, and other mental health and institutional satisfaction measures listed in the secondary outcome measures section.

Enrollment: 221 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 25 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Incoming college first years
• Live away from home without parents/guardians upon beginning college
• Read English
• Between 18 and 25 years of age
• Own a smartphone

Exclusion criteria

• Do not read English
• Under 18 years of age
• Over 25 years of age
• Do not own a smartphone

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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221 participants in 2 patient groups

Experimental-Immediate Access to the Nod app

Experimental group

Description:

The experimental group will have immediate access to all content in the Nod app and will be free to engage with it as much or as little as they like for four weeks. They will retain access to the Nod app for an additional four weeks.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Loneliness Intervention

Waitlist Control-Delayed Access to the Nod app

Other group

Description:

The waitlist control group will have full access to the Nod app approximately four weeks after the experimental group gains access.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Loneliness Intervention