Can Mindsets Predict Help-Seeking? A Growth Mindset Intervention and Mental Health App Engagement in Working Adults (GROW)

Intellect Pte

Status: Completed

Conditions: Mobile Apps; Mindsets; Employee Health; Self-care Tools; App Engagement

Treatments: Behavioral: Digital Technology Condition; Behavioral: Growth Mindset Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Industry

Identifiers

NCT07071311

NUS-IRB-2022-253

Details and patient eligibility

About

Despite the growing adoption of digital mental health initiatives in the workplace, employees' sustained engagement with these resources remained relatively low. Encouraging a growth mindset about mental health may help motivate employees to actively use these tools to support their well-being.

This randomized controlled trial (RCT) examines whether introducing a growth mindset intervention prior to using a mental health app can improve users' repeated engagement with the app.

Enrollment: 307 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Being able to read and understand English
• Being 18 years or older
• Being employed
• Not using other mental health mobile applications or services concurrently.

Exclusion criteria

• Not able to read and understand English
• Younger than 18 years old
• Unemployed
• Using other mental health mobile applications or services concurrently.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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307 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Digital Technology Condition

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

This single-session control exercise aims to encourage the use of digital technology in the workplace. It positions participants as experts who provide guidance to others on how to use digital tools more effectively at work. First, participants will read stories about employees' experiences navigating their workload with the help of workplace technology. Each story highlights the employee's initial struggles with learning new digital tools and how they eventually recognized the value of these technologies. This includes examples of how they viewed digital learning as manageable and took proactive steps-such as seeking help from colleagues or setting aside time to practice. Then, participants will complete a short reflective essay in response to three writing prompts. These prompts guide them to reflect on their own experiences with digital tools and offer practical advice to others on how to use new technologies effectively in the workplace.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Digital Technology Condition

Growth Mindset Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

This single-session growth mindset intervention consists of reading and reflective writing activities that present mental health as something that can be improved, rather than something fixed. The goal is to show that adopting a growth mindset of mental health can encourage more proactive mental health behaviors. To begin, participants will read stories of three employees who share their personal experiences navigating mental health challenges in the workplace. Each story highlights the employee's struggles, how they came to see mental health as changeable, and the steps they took to care for their well-being (e.g., practicing self-care or seeking therapy). After reading, participants will complete a short reflective essay in response to three prompts. These prompts guide them to examine their own mindset about mental health, endorse a growth mindset towards mental health, and outline specific actions they can take to proactively support their own mental well-being.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Growth Mindset Intervention