Intervention Based on Implicit Theories of Personality: Effects on Depression and Bullying

NCT ID: NCT03481699

Last Updated: 2018-10-03

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 882 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2016-10-03
• Study Completion Date: 2018-03-31

Brief Summary

This study evaluates the efficacy of an intervention based on the Implicit Theories of Personality (ITP) in Spanish adolescents. Half of participants received the ITP intervention, while the other half received an educational intervention.

Detailed Description

Depression and bullying are two problems arising in childhood and adolescence, which cause severe suffering. Although there are good intervention programs for children and adolescents at risk, the results for universal interventions have generally been poor. The current project will test the efficacy of an Intervention based on the Implicit Theories of Personality (ITP). This procedure has recently been developed at US by David S. Yeager and colleagues, with extraordinary results in the reduction of depression, stress, and aggression. The project includes the following aims: (1) the evaluation of the efficacy of the ITP on depressive symptoms (Study 1) and aggressive behavior (Study 2) in Spanish adolescents; (2) to test whether the intervention changes biological and cognitive variables; (3) to identify whether development and sex moderates the effects of the intervention; and (4) to test whether temperament moderates the effect of the intervention. The study involves the evaluation of the intervention in a sample of around 900 adolescents (12-18 years), randomly allocated to experimental and control condition. It is a field experiment conducted in high schools and involves multiple measures over time (self-reports and parent reports; as well as levels of cortisol, testosterone and DHEA in saliva in a subset -50%- of the participants). In summary, the project aims to respond to the challenge of health and wellness in the population through a randomized controlled trial with multiple sources of measure and from a biopsychosocial perspective. The ITP intervention has the potential to become a universal intervention to help reduce the rates of depression and bullying.

Conditions

Depression; Bullying

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Incremental theory of personality

1 hour behavioral intervention (based on ITP) consisting on several tasks to be completed on paper individually.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Incremental theory of personality

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The experimental intervention (originally developed by David S. Yeager and colleagues) teaches that individuals have the potential to change. It has three main parts. First, participants are asked to read scientific studies that provide evidence that behaviors are controlled by "thoughts and feelings in brains," and that pathways in the brain have the potential to be changed under the right circumstances. Second, participants read several testimonials purportedly written by upperclassmen to bring credibility to the ITP. Finally, participants are asked to write their own version of such a narrative. This self-persuasive writing exercise has been shown to facilitate the internalization of the intervention message, building on a long line of research on cognitive dissonance.

Educational intervention

1 hour educational intervention (about the human brain) consisting on several tasks to be completed on paper individually.

Group Type: OTHER

Educational Intervention

Intervention Type: OTHER

The educational intervention involved scientific information about the human brain. It was designed to be parallel to the experimental intervention and, hence, it has also three main parts. First, participants are asked to read scientific information about the different areas of the brain and their specialties. Second, participants read several testimonials written by upperclassmen about their transition to high school and how their brains help them to adapt to the new space and all the physical differences of the building and the classes. Finally, participants are asked to write a letter to another student explaining the main things he or she has learned about the brain and thinks are important for adapting to the new physical environment in high school.

Interventions

Incremental theory of personality

The experimental intervention (originally developed by David S. Yeager and colleagues) teaches that individuals have the potential to change. It has three main parts. First, participants are asked to read scientific studies that provide evidence that behaviors are controlled by "thoughts and feelings in brains," and that pathways in the brain have the potential to be changed under the right circumstances. Second, participants read several testimonials purportedly written by upperclassmen to bring credibility to the ITP. Finally, participants are asked to write their own version of such a narrative. This self-persuasive writing exercise has been shown to facilitate the internalization of the intervention message, building on a long line of research on cognitive dissonance.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Educational Intervention

The educational intervention involved scientific information about the human brain. It was designed to be parallel to the experimental intervention and, hence, it has also three main parts. First, participants are asked to read scientific information about the different areas of the brain and their specialties. Second, participants read several testimonials written by upperclassmen about their transition to high school and how their brains help them to adapt to the new space and all the physical differences of the building and the classes. Finally, participants are asked to write a letter to another student explaining the main things he or she has learned about the brain and thinks are important for adapting to the new physical environment in high school.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Informed consent by the adolescents and their parents.
• To be fluent in Spanish.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 12 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Medikosta IMQ Análisis Clínicos

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Deusto

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Esther Calvete

Principal Investigator, Deusto Stress Research Team, University of Deusto

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Esther Calvete, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Deusto

Provided Documents

Document Type: Informed Consent Form

View Document

Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

PSI2015-68426-R

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id