Smoking Cessation Counseling AbilityNCT06374082
Instant Messaging Reinforcement for Smoking Cessation Counseling Training
A study testing WhatsApp message in people with Smoking Cessation Counseling Ability and Smoking Cessation Counseling Practice, run by The University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.
Trial summary
This research aims to assess the impact of instant messaging reinforcement on the learning outcomes of smoking cessation counseling (SCC) training among master of nursing (MN) students at the University of Hong Kong. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any age
- Conditions the study is for
- Smoking Cessation Counseling Ability, Smoking Cessation Counseling Practice
- What is being tested?
- WhatsApp message
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 42 participants
- Where
- 1 siteHong Kong
- Study dates
- 26 Apr 2024to 26 Nov 2024
- 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 Any age
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- MN students (1 or 2 years)
- Able to access WhatsApp and receive messages
Who cannot join
- Currently attending any other SCC training program other than this course
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Efficacy of Instant Messaging Reinforcement on the Learning Outcomes of Smoking Cessation Counseling Training in Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial
This research aims to assess the impact of instant messaging reinforcement on the learning outcomes of smoking cessation counseling (SCC) training among master of nursing (MN) students at the University of Hong Kong. The hypotheses suggest that this reinforcement can enhance students' SCC knowledge and techniques, improve their perception of SCC, and increase their application of SCC in clinical work.
The study is a pragmatic randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a 1:1 allocation ratio, using WhatsApp Messenger (WhatsApp) messages for intervention and control groups. The intervention group receives messages related to SCC, while the control group receives generic mental health information. The subjects are MN students enrolled in the "Tobacco Dependency Nursing Intervention and Management" course.
Read more
The study uses various tools for measurement, including Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and Providers Smoking Cessation Training Evaluation (ProSCiTE). The main outcome measures include SCC practice frequency, SCC knowledge score, SCC attitude score, and SCC practice score.
Data analysis will be performed in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), using descriptive statistics, intention-to-treat analysis, Chi-square and t-tests, Cohen's d for effect size, and linear mixed models. The expected results suggest that instant messaging reinforcement will enhance SCC knowledge, attitude, and practice among MN students.
Read the detailed description
This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of instant messaging reinforcement on the learning outcomes of smoking cessation counseling (SCC) training among master of nursing (MN) students at the University of Hong Kong.
Hypotheses to be tested: (1) Instant messaging reinforcement can increase MN students' mastery of SCC knowledge and techniques. (2) Instant messaging reinforcement can increase MN students' positive perception towards SCC and their willingness to provide SCC in their clinical work. (3) Instant messaging reinforcement can increase MN students' SCC practice, i.e. the frequency at which they perform Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange (5As), during their clinical work.
Design and subjects: This proposed study is a 2-arm, placebo-control, pragmatic randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a 1:1 allocation ratio. The intervention involves sending reinforcement WhatsApp messages to participants. To ensure that the subjects do not know their assigned group, the investigators also sent WhatsApp messages to the control group, but these messages are unrelated to smoking cessation counseling. The targeted subjects are MN students who are taking the course "Tobacco Dependency Nursing Intervention and Management (NURS8205)" in the spring semester of 2024. The course mentioned would be attended by all students regardless of their participation in this study.
Intervention group: 3 WhatsApp messages per week for six weeks after course training. These messages are about the core content of the course developed based on the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) model.
Control group: WhatsApp messages about generic mental health information with the same frequency and schedule as the intervention group.
Instruments: Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) measurement of SCC practice frequency; Providers Smoking Cessation Training Evaluation (ProSCiTE); Self-compiled questionnaire on SCC knowledge; Self-compiled baseline questionnaire.
Main outcome measures: (1) MN students' SCC practice frequency, measured by EMA; (2) MN students' SCC knowledge score, measured by self-compiled questionnaire; (3) MN students' SCC attitude score, measured by attitude subscale of Providers Smoking Cessation Training Evaluation (ProSCiTE); (4) MN students' SCC practice score, measured by behavior subscale of Providers Smoking Cessation Training Evaluation (ProSCiTE).
Data analysis: Data analysis will be conducted in SPSS for Windows (version 20), using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean) to summarize outcomes and variables. Intention-to-treat analysis will handle participants lost to follow-up as no change. Outcome comparisons between groups will utilize Chi-square and t-tests, calculating Cohen's d for effect size. Linear mixed models will evaluate intervention effects on KAP, considering multiple observations and data clustering within subjects. SCC practice frequency, as measured by EMA, will be analyzed at between- and within-person levels using the "xtcenter" module, exploring associations with outcomes simultaneously.
Expected results: Instant messaging will improve MN students' SCC knowledge and skills, positive attitude toward providing SCC, and eventually increase their SCC practice frequency in their clinical practice.
- Being tested
- WhatsApp message
- Keywords
- instant messaging, nursing students, smoking cessation training
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
WhatsApp messageOther
Participants in the intervention group will receive 3 WhatsApp messages per week for six weeks after attending the standardized course training "Tobacco Dependency Nursing Intervention and Management (NURS8205)". These messages are about the core content of the course, including (1) Knowledge Themes: harmfulness of smoking and benefits of quitting, the fundamentals of nicotine addiction, smoking cessation counselling with the 5A model, and pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation; (2) Attitude Themes: nurses' role in smoking cessation and the importance of smoking cessation; and (3) Practice Themes: practical advice on counseling techniques, communication skills by motivational interviewing, local smoking cessation resources for referral.
Participants in the control group will receive 3 WhatsApp messages about generic mental health information per week for six weeks after attending the standardized course training "Tobacco Dependency Nursing Intervention and Management (NURS8205)".
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention group | Experimental | WhatsApp messages based on smoking cessation counseling Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) Receives: Other: WhatsApp message |
| Control group | Placebo comparator | WhatsApp messages about generic mental health information Receives: Other: WhatsApp message |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
SCC practice measurement
Participants' SCC practice would be measured through ecological momentary assessment (EMA) by asking how many times they have performed Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange (5As) on each working day
Measured: The EMA will be conducted every night for two weeks after 6 weeks of instant messaging reinforcement
Secondary outcomes (3)
SCC knowledge score
Measured by self-compiled questionnaire on knowledge about SCC, the score ranges from 0 to 14, with higher score indicating better outcome
Measured: through study completion, an average of 6 months
SCC attitude score
Measured by attitude subscale of Providers Smoking Cessation Training Evaluation (ProSCiTE), the score ranges from 8 to 40, with higher score indicating better outcome
Measured: through study completion, an average of 6 months
SCC practice score
Measured by behavior subscale of Providers Smoking Cessation Training Evaluation (ProSCiTE), the score ranges from 19 to 95, with higher score indicating better outcome
Measured: through study completion, an average of 6 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 Apr 2024
- Study start26 Apr 2024
- Primary completion26 Aug 2024
- Study completion26 Nov 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Smoking Cessation Counseling AbilityStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by The University of Hong KongThe 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
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 42 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The University of Hong Kong
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dr. Derek Yee-Tak Cheung, The University of Hong Kong
- Investigators
- Derek Yee Tak CHEUNG, PhD, Principal investigator, The University of Hong Kong
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06374082
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- HKWC-2024-179
- Status last verified
- Apr 2025
- First submitted
- 11 Apr 2024
- Last updated
- 25 Apr 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Research data and documentation will be available upon request.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 25 Apr 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Efficacy of Instant Messaging Reinforcement on the Learning Outcomes of Smoking Cessation Counseling Training in Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06374082
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HKWC-2024-179
- Keywords
- instant messaging, nursing students, smoking cessation training
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 42 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- The University of Hong KongUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 26 Apr 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 26 Aug 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 26 Nov 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 18 Apr 2024 (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.
This research aims to assess the impact of instant messaging reinforcement on the learning outcomes of smoking cessation counseling (SCC) training among master of nursing (MN) students at the University of Hong Kong. The hypotheses suggest that this reinforcement can enhance students' SCC knowledge and techniques, improve their perception of SCC, and increase their application of SCC in clinical work.
The study is a pragmatic randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a 1:1 allocation ratio, using WhatsApp Messenger (WhatsApp) messages for intervention and control groups. The intervention group receives messages related to SCC, while the control group receives generic mental health information. The subjects are MN students enrolled in the "Tobacco Dependency Nursing Intervention and Management" course.
The study uses various tools for measurement, including Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and Providers Smoking Cessation Training Evaluation (ProSCiTE). The main outcome measures include SCC practice frequency, SCC knowledge score, SCC attitude score, and SCC practice score.
Data analysis will be performed in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), using descriptive statistics, intention-to-treat analysis, Chi-square and t-tests, Cohen's d for effect size, and linear mixed models. The expected results suggest that instant messaging reinforcement will enhance SCC knowledge, attitude, and practice among MN students.
Detailed description
This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of instant messaging reinforcement on the learning outcomes of smoking cessation counseling (SCC) training among master of nursing (MN) students at the University of Hong Kong.
Hypotheses to be tested: (1) Instant messaging reinforcement can increase MN students' mastery of SCC knowledge and techniques. (2) Instant messaging reinforcement can increase MN students' positive perception towards SCC and their willingness to provide SCC in their clinical work. (3) Instant messaging reinforcement can increase MN students' SCC practice, i.e. the frequency at which they perform Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange (5As), during their clinical work.
Design and subjects: This proposed study is a 2-arm, placebo-control, pragmatic randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a 1:1 allocation ratio. The intervention involves sending reinforcement WhatsApp messages to participants. To ensure that the subjects do not know their assigned group, the investigators also sent WhatsApp messages to the control group, but these messages are unrelated to smoking cessation counseling. The targeted subjects are MN students who are taking the course "Tobacco Dependency Nursing Intervention and Management (NURS8205)" in the spring semester of 2024. The course mentioned would be attended by all students regardless of their participation in this study.
Intervention group: 3 WhatsApp messages per week for six weeks after course training. These messages are about the core content of the course developed based on the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) model.
Control group: WhatsApp messages about generic mental health information with the same frequency and schedule as the intervention group.
Instruments: Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) measurement of SCC practice frequency; Providers Smoking Cessation Training Evaluation (ProSCiTE); Self-compiled questionnaire on SCC knowledge; Self-compiled baseline questionnaire.
Main outcome measures: (1) MN students' SCC practice frequency, measured by EMA; (2) MN students' SCC knowledge score, measured by self-compiled questionnaire; (3) MN students' SCC attitude score, measured by attitude subscale of Providers Smoking Cessation Training Evaluation (ProSCiTE); (4) MN students' SCC practice score, measured by behavior subscale of Providers Smoking Cessation Training Evaluation (ProSCiTE).
Data analysis: Data analysis will be conducted in SPSS for Windows (version 20), using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean) to summarize outcomes and variables. Intention-to-treat analysis will handle participants lost to follow-up as no change. Outcome comparisons between groups will utilize Chi-square and t-tests, calculating Cohen's d for effect size. Linear mixed models will evaluate intervention effects on KAP, considering multiple observations and data clustering within subjects. SCC practice frequency, as measured by EMA, will be analyzed at between- and within-person levels using the "xtcenter" module, exploring associations with outcomes simultaneously.
Expected results: Instant messaging will improve MN students' SCC knowledge and skills, positive attitude toward providing SCC, and eventually increase their SCC practice frequency in their clinical practice.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention group | Experimental | Other: WhatsApp messageWhatsApp messages based on smoking cessation counseling Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) |
| Control group | Placebo comparator | Other: WhatsApp messageWhatsApp messages about generic mental health information |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- MN students (1 or 2 years)
- Able to access WhatsApp and receive messages
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Currently attending any other SCC training program other than this course
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 |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp messageParticipants in the intervention group will receive 3 WhatsApp messages per week for six weeks after attending the standardized course training "Tobacco Dependency Nursing Intervention and Management (NURS8205)". These messages are about the core content of the course, including (1) Knowledge Themes: harmfulness of smoking and benefits of quitting, the fundamentals of nicotine addiction, smoking cessation counselling with the 5A model, and pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation; (2) Attitude Themes: nurses' role in smoking cessation and the importance of smoking cessation; and (3) Practice Themes: practical advice on counseling techniques, communication skills by motivational interviewing, local smoking cessation resources for referral. Participants in the control group will receive 3 WhatsApp messages about generic mental health information per week for six weeks after attending the standardized course training "Tobacco Dependency Nursing Intervention and Management (NURS8205)". | Other | Control group, Intervention group |
Primary outcome
SCC practice measurement
Time frame: The EMA will be conducted every night for two weeks after 6 weeks of instant messaging reinforcement
Participants' SCC practice would be measured through ecological momentary assessment (EMA) by asking how many times they have performed Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange (5As) on each working day
3 secondary outcomes
SCC knowledge score
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 6 months
SCC attitude score
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 6 months
SCC practice score
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 6 months
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 25 Apr 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Research data and documentation will be available upon request.
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Smoking Cessation, Smoking Cessation Counseling Ability and Practice
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.
Derek Yee Tak CHEUNG, PhD principal investigator
The University of Hong Kong
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing WhatsApp message in people with Smoking Cessation Counseling Ability and Smoking Cessation Counseling Practice, run by The University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.
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 2 inclusion and 1 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 25 Apr 2025. 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 Hong Kong. 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. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. 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?
SCC practice measurement (time frame: The EMA will be conducted every night for two weeks after 6 weeks of instant messaging reinforcement). 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 25 Apr 2025.