Prevention of Mental Disorders Through Self-efficacy Interventions

Launched by HEALTH AND MEDICAL UNIVERSITY POTSDAM · Dec 12, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying whether a special training program can help young adults who believe they can't handle challenges, which is known as low self-efficacy. The goal is to see if improving their confidence can prevent mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders from developing over the next year. The trial will include 378 young adults, ages 18 to 30, who have low self-efficacy but do not currently have any mental disorders. Participants will be divided into two groups: one will receive training in building self-efficacy through group sessions, while the other group will discuss unrelated psychological topics without any training.

To be eligible for the study, participants must be between 18 and 30 years old and score low on a self-efficacy scale. They should also be able to speak German and participate in the sessions. However, individuals currently experiencing mental health disorders or treatments will not be included. Throughout the study, participants will undergo assessments to track their mental health symptoms and changes in their self-efficacy. This trial aims to find out if boosting self-efficacy can lead to better mental health and prevent the onset of serious disorders in young adults.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. age 18-30 years and
• • 2. low scores (≤24) on the German version of the General Self-Efficacy Scale (i.e., more than one standard deviation (5.4) below the mean score of 29.4 in the German norm sample; The cutoff will be raised to scores below the mean of 29.4 (≤30) if not enough participants with low self-efficacy scores of ≤24 and without 12-month mental disorders are found and this leads to serious problems regarding the recruitment phase and the timeline of the project.
• • 3. ability to participate in the course (German language proficiency, availability during the intervention period)
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. 12-month anxiety, affective, or substance use disorder (excluding nicotine dependence)
• • 2. current psychological/psychopharmacological intervention or treatment seeking for psychological problems
• • 3. acute suicidality; Individuals who report acute suicidality will be withdrawn from the study and referred to treatment.