Stress, PsychologicalNCT05640505
Gratitude Interventions for Academic Stress Among Pakistani Adolescents
A study testing School based Gratitude Interventions in people with Stress, Psychological, run by University of Malaya at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
The experimental nature of this study will provide the empirical data in analyzing the effectiveness of gratitude exercises which later can be adapted in stress reduction programs at school level. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 14 to 17 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Stress, Psychological
- What is being tested?
- School based Gratitude Interventions
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 102 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 1 Sep 2018to 1 Nov 2019
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 14 to 17 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child
Who may be able to join
- High School Students
- Studying in same school for at least last six months
- within 14-17 years of age
- not having severe physical health issue or going under treatment for chronic illness
Who cannot join
- not able to understand Urdu language
- above 17 years of age or below 14 years
- recently enrolled in the particular school
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Pakistan1 site
Govt Islamia High School & Govt Girls High School
Rawalpindi, Punjab Province, 46000
About this study
Official title: Effectiveness of Gratitude Interventions for Academic Stress and Emotional Experiences Among Pakistani Adolescents
The experimental nature of this study will provide the empirical data in analyzing the effectiveness of gratitude exercises which later can be adapted in stress reduction programs at school level. This research will focus on the school related positive life experiences for example thinking about a teacher/mentor kindness and contribution in their lives, then write a letter that describes their gratitude \& letter will be delivered to that person indirectly. This may help in focusing on the positive aspects of school life. This modification will serve as testing this new model for assessing the combined effect of gratitude interventions.
Read the detailed description
Academic stress is an inevitable part of students' lives with long-term negative consequences on physical health, mental well-being, and social relations. In Asian cultures, expectations of parents and teachers are additional components of academic stress which have not been addressed in different stress management programs. Therefore, the present research addresses these contributory stress factors by using gratitude interventions in Pakistani high schools.
The study employs Broaden and Build Theory and Cognitive Appraisal Theory in formulating the intervention model and variables being tested through pretest-posttest experimental research design with a control group. A total of 102 high school students from two genders segregated schools of Rawalpindi city, Pakistan, served as the participants. They were randomly assigned into experimental and control groups, with 51 participants in each group. There were 41 boys and 61 girls with a mean age of 15.71+ 0.92 years. The measures included Academic Expectations Stress Inventory (AESI), Inventory of High-School Students' Recent Life Experiences (IHSSRLE), Modified Differential Emotions Scale (mDES), Gratitude Questionnaire-6 (GQ-6) and Gratitude Adjective Checklist (GAC). Three gratitude interventions, including Count your Blessings, Gratitude Letters and Loving-Kindness Meditation, were modified to focus on school-related experiences. The model consisted of nine sessions applied in schools for four weeks with 30-40 minutes each day. The research protocol and intervention model were adapted into Urdu for better understanding among participants. The data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, SD, paired sample t-test, independent sample t-test, multivariate analysis of variance and effect size).
- Conditions
- Stress, Psychological
- Being tested
- School based Gratitude Interventions
- Keywords
- Academic Expectations, Emotional Experiences
- Medical subject headings
- Stress, Psychological
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
School based Gratitude InterventionsBehavioural
Three gratitude interventions including Count your blessings, Gratitude Letter and Loving Kindness Meditation were applied with modification focusing on school related experiences. For example, writing a gratitude letter to a teacher, mentor or coach who played a significant role in one's life then imagining on the same person during LKM exercise of imagery. There were 9 sessions with 3-4 exercises in each session.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental | Experimental | This group received 03 gratitude interventions for 4 weeks Receives: Behavioral: School based Gratitude Interventions |
| Control Group | No intervention | This group did not receive any intervention during active phase. Only the scores on dependent variables were measured. After completion of study, the same interventions were repeated with this group. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Academic Stress
Academic Expectations, Daily Hassles. Academic Expectation Stress Inventory is a nine (09) item inventory developed by Ang and Huan (Ang, Huan 2006) is a reliable and valid instrument widely used especially in assessing parental expectations (Ang et al., 2009; Qadir et al., 2012; Sun, 2012; Zhang et al., 2016). The two subscales are Self-Expectations and Other expectations covering the domains of stress, self-blame, disappointment, anxiety, and feeling of inadequacy. It has Likert - type scoring ranging from 1 (never true) to 5 (almost always true) with high scores showing more stress.
Measured: 4 weeks
Emotional Experiences
Positive Emotions, Positivity Ratio. it will be measured through Modified Differential Emotions Scale is a reliable \& valid instrument to assess positive and negative emotions separately.It is a twenty (20) items instrument with Five (05) points likert scoring from "Not at all" to "Extremely". Overall positive and negative emotions ratio can also be created by computing the mean of 10 positive emotions divided by mean of 10 negative emotions. The scale is suitable to be used with adolescents
Measured: 4 weeks
Secondary outcomes (1)
Daily Hassles
Daily Hassles: It is assessed through Inventory of High-School Students' Recent Life Experiences (IHSSRLE) is a self-reported reliable and valid measure that assesses daily hassles among adolescents.The scale has been developed by Kohn and Milrose in 1993. The inventory has 41 items with four points scoring ranging from 01(Not at all) to 04 (Completely true) and has eight (08) subscales. A high score reflects a high-stress level.
Measured: 4 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Dec 2022
- Study start1 Sep 2018
- Primary completion2 Sep 2019
- Study completion1 Nov 2019
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Stress, PsychologicalStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of MalayaThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Model description
- Experimental research design with randomized control trial with difference of 4 weeks were be applied. Pretest post-test was done to compare the difference in the scores of academic stress and emotional experiences among adolescents before and after the intervention. Two experimental conditions will be used: (1) Gratitude (individuals assigned with daily gratitude-inducing activity) and (2) Control (no-assigned activity). Both groups were measured at (a) Pre-test (prior to the intervention); (b) Post-test (immediately after intervention).
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 102 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Malaya
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Najam us Sahar, University of Malaya
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05640505
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- UM.TNC2/UMREC-621
- Status last verified
- Dec 2022
- First submitted
- 26 Aug 2022
- Last updated
- 7 Dec 2022
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: In SPSS sheet, Alpha Numerical ID will be assigned to each participant and only the combined statistical results would be published.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 7 Dec 2022. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effectiveness of Gratitude Interventions for Academic Stress and Emotional Experiences Among Pakistani Adolescents
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05640505
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- UM.TNC2/UMREC-621
- Conditions
- Stress, Psychological
- Keywords
- Academic Expectations, Emotional Experiences
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 102 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of MalayaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Sep 2018 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 2 Sep 2019 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Nov 2019 (actual)
- First posted
- 7 Dec 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The experimental nature of this study will provide the empirical data in analyzing the effectiveness of gratitude exercises which later can be adapted in stress reduction programs at school level. This research will focus on the school related positive life experiences for example thinking about a teacher/mentor kindness and contribution in their lives, then write a letter that describes their gratitude \& letter will be delivered to that person indirectly. This may help in focusing on the positive aspects of school life. This modification will serve as testing this new model for assessing the combined effect of gratitude interventions.
Detailed description
Academic stress is an inevitable part of students' lives with long-term negative consequences on physical health, mental well-being, and social relations. In Asian cultures, expectations of parents and teachers are additional components of academic stress which have not been addressed in different stress management programs. Therefore, the present research addresses these contributory stress factors by using gratitude interventions in Pakistani high schools.
The study employs Broaden and Build Theory and Cognitive Appraisal Theory in formulating the intervention model and variables being tested through pretest-posttest experimental research design with a control group. A total of 102 high school students from two genders segregated schools of Rawalpindi city, Pakistan, served as the participants. They were randomly assigned into experimental and control groups, with 51 participants in each group. There were 41 boys and 61 girls with a mean age of 15.71+ 0.92 years. The measures included Academic Expectations Stress Inventory (AESI), Inventory of High-School Students' Recent Life Experiences (IHSSRLE), Modified Differential Emotions Scale (mDES), Gratitude Questionnaire-6 (GQ-6) and Gratitude Adjective Checklist (GAC). Three gratitude interventions, including Count your Blessings, Gratitude Letters and Loving-Kindness Meditation, were modified to focus on school-related experiences. The model consisted of nine sessions applied in schools for four weeks with 30-40 minutes each day. The research protocol and intervention model were adapted into Urdu for better understanding among participants. The data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, SD, paired sample t-test, independent sample t-test, multivariate analysis of variance and effect size).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Experimental research design with randomized control trial with difference of 4 weeks were be applied. Pretest post-test was done to compare the difference in the scores of academic stress and emotional experiences among adolescents before and after the intervention. Two experimental conditions will be used: (1) Gratitude (individuals assigned with daily gratitude-inducing activity) and (2) Control (no-assigned activity). Both groups were measured at (a) Pre-test (prior to the intervention); (b) Post-test (immediately after intervention).
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental | Experimental | Behavioral: School based Gratitude InterventionsThis group received 03 gratitude interventions for 4 weeks |
| Control Group | No intervention | –This group did not receive any intervention during active phase. Only the scores on dependent variables were measured. After completion of study, the same interventions were repeated with this group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 14 to 17 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- High School Students
- Studying in same school for at least last six months
- within 14-17 years of age
- not having severe physical health issue or going under treatment for chronic illness
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- not able to understand Urdu language
- above 17 years of age or below 14 years
- recently enrolled in the particular school
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| School based Gratitude InterventionsThree gratitude interventions including Count your blessings, Gratitude Letter and Loving Kindness Meditation were applied with modification focusing on school related experiences. For example, writing a gratitude letter to a teacher, mentor or coach who played a significant role in one's life then imagining on the same person during LKM exercise of imagery. There were 9 sessions with 3-4 exercises in each session. | Behavioural | Experimental |
Primary outcome
Academic Stress
Time frame: 4 weeks
Academic Expectations, Daily Hassles. Academic Expectation Stress Inventory is a nine (09) item inventory developed by Ang and Huan (Ang, Huan 2006) is a reliable and valid instrument widely used especially in assessing parental expectations (Ang et al., 2009; Qadir et al., 2012; Sun, 2012; Zhang et al., 2016). The two subscales are Self-Expectations and Other expectations covering the domains of stress, self-blame, disappointment, anxiety, and feeling of inadequacy. It has Likert - type scoring ranging from 1 (never true) to 5 (almost always true) with high scores showing more stress.
Emotional Experiences
Time frame: 4 weeks
Positive Emotions, Positivity Ratio. it will be measured through Modified Differential Emotions Scale is a reliable \& valid instrument to assess positive and negative emotions separately.It is a twenty (20) items instrument with Five (05) points likert scoring from "Not at all" to "Extremely". Overall positive and negative emotions ratio can also be created by computing the mean of 10 positive emotions divided by mean of 10 negative emotions. The scale is suitable to be used with adolescents
1 secondary outcome
Daily Hassles
Time frame: 4 weeks
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 7 Dec 2022.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. In SPSS sheet, Alpha Numerical ID will be assigned to each participant and only the combined statistical results would be published.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing School based Gratitude Interventions in people with Stress, Psychological, run by University of Malaya at 1 site in Pakistan.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 7 Dec 2022. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Pakistan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Academic Stress (time frame: 4 weeks). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 7 Dec 2022.