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Purpose

The primary aim of this study is to provide and evaluate a phone-based intervention to improve relational and mental well-being during the COVID-19 crisis. This information also will help us understand how individuals are responding to COVID-19 and have the potential to inform psychological and policy level interventions.

Conditions

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Over 18 Years
Eligible Genders
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

  • Age 18+ - Resides in United States - Possesses smartphone - Willing to share phone number and email to researchers

Exclusion Criteria

  • None

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Single Group Assignment
Primary Purpose
Prevention
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Intervention 		The intervention was delivered via a series of daily text messages to mobile phones. Participants first were delivered an introductory text message at 6:00 pm on Day 7 of the study. This message alerted the participants to expect their first suggestion via text message at 8:00 am the following morning. For the next 14 days (Days 8 - 22), participants received one of 14 suggestions in random order. The specific daily suggestions varied in length and complexity: The simplest ones included text messages and a brief audiofile delivered via text; the more complex suggestions included text messages and a link to a web-page, which included text or embedded audiofiles describing why a suggestion was being made, how to engage in the suggested practice, and audiotaped exchanges between members of the production team describing what it was like to try the practices themselves. Some suggestions were supplemented with additional reminder and check-in text messages at noon and 4:00 pm.
  • Behavioral: Intervention
    The intervention was delivered via daily text messages to mobile phones during two weeks in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Each message provided a link to a brief suggestion for an action or actions to take each day to improve relational closeness and well-being. Critical to the rationale for this intervention was the position that relationship science has developed key insights into what works and does not work to build and maintain closeness. These insights could be translated into brief and effective suggestions that individuals could implement daily, thereby quickly improving relational well-being and decreasing depression and loneliness at a critical time.
No Intervention
Control 		Assessment only.

Recruiting Locations

More Details

NCT ID
NCT04629755
Status
Completed
Sponsor
University of Washington

Detailed Description

We conducted a randomized intervention trial of a mobile-based intervention that offered participants daily suggestions for 14 days on how to improve relational and mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. A sample of 1765 adults residing in the United States participated in the study and were assigned to control or intervention conditions. To measure outcomes, all participants received a daily text message to their smartphones every evening for 28 days linking to a survey on relational and mental well-being. Participants also received a survey link on Days 56 and 72. Intervention participants received additional text messages in the mornings of Days 7 - 22 presenting the intervention suggestions.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.