Evaluating the Efficacy of a 91-day Self-talk Mental Health Self-care Journal

NCT ID: NCT05738109

Last Updated: 2024-06-14

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 67 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2022-09-13
• Study Completion Date: 2024-04-30

Brief Summary

1. Does a 91-day self-talk journal intervention improve outcomes of self-criticism, self-esteem, automatic negative self-statements, and mental health among participants using the journal over wait-list control?

2. What is the adherence rate to a 91-day self-talk journal intervention?

3. What were participants' experience(s) of using a 91-day self-talk journal?

Detailed Description

The following research project can contribute to the investigators' understanding of how/how well self-guided resources can increase participant outcomes of self-criticism, self-esteem, automatic negative self-statements, and mental health. Self-guided resources such as a self-talk journal provide can provide an easily accessible avenue for improving individual mental health. There has been a recent surge in the popularity of health-promotive self-care products, or products aimed at providing individuals with "the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to achieve and maintain good health". These products (often in the form of journals) are similar to "self-help books"; however, a key difference is that self-care products prompt and provide space for the reader to actively engage in activities and psychological techniques, unlike the passive nature of traditional self-help books. These products typically address mental health concerns (i.e., mental health self-care) and are advertised to provide an effective means for individuals to reduce stress, improve self-compassion, and boost wellbeing. What's more, the generally positive reviews these products garner provides the perception that these products are well-received and effective in eliciting these outcomes. However, the scientific foundation for the majority of these journals is unknown. Furthermore, the efficacy of these products for improving or promoting their intended outcome(s) is often not addressed outside of these, often positive, reviews.

Conditions

Mental Health; Self Care

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Self-guided journaling Intervention

Participants assigned to the waitlist group complete a 2wk, 1mo, 2mo and 3mo survey over the 91-day study period. After the 91-days they will also complete a follow-up survey and exit interview

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Self-Talk Journals

Intervention Type: OTHER

Participants randomized to the intervention group will receive a physical copy of the 91-day self-talk journal during the baseline meeting. Participants will also be introduced the purpose of the journal and its intended usage (i.e., daily journaling). Intervention participants will not be offered guidance or feedback on the journal after these initial instructions, in order to emulate an ad libitum usage. Control group participants will not receive any contact with the researchers outside of the planned questionnaires and to receive their journal at the three-month timepoint.

Waitlist Control

Participants assigned to the waitlist group complete a 2wk, 1mo, 2mo and 3mo survey over the 91-day study period. After the 91-days they receive access to the 91-day Self-Talk Journal for their own personal use.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Self-Talk Journals

Participants randomized to the intervention group will receive a physical copy of the 91-day self-talk journal during the baseline meeting. Participants will also be introduced the purpose of the journal and its intended usage (i.e., daily journaling). Intervention participants will not be offered guidance or feedback on the journal after these initial instructions, in order to emulate an ad libitum usage. Control group participants will not receive any contact with the researchers outside of the planned questionnaires and to receive their journal at the three-month timepoint.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

(1) being 19+ years old, (2) being fluent in English, (3) currently living in the Greater Victoria area, (4) self-reporting no previously diagnosed mental illness or psychiatric conditions, and (5) scoring >12 on the Self-Criticism subscale of the Self-Talk Scale (based on previous mean data; Brinthaupt, Hein, & Kramer, 2009).

Exclusion Criteria

• Scoring =<12 on the Self-Talk Scale, currently receiving or seeking therapy for a mental illness, or a current or previous diagnosis of mental illness.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 19 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Switch Research

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Victoria

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Ryan Rhodes, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Lab Director and Professor

Locations

Behavioural Medicine Lab UVic

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Countries

Canada

Other Identifiers

21-0361

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id