CONSORT-EHEALTH Checklist V1.6.2 Report

1b-i) Key features/functionalities/components of the intervention and comparator in the METHODS section of the ABSTRACT Yes. “This study evaluated the efficacy of two internet-based interventions (basic mindfulness and Health Action Process Approach (HAPA)-enhanced mindfulness) with waitlist control. HAPA principles were used to enhance participants’ efficacy and planning. ” 1b-ii) Level of human involvement in the METHODS section of the ABSTRACT Yes. “The basic and HAPA-enhanced groups completed the 8-week fully automated mindfulness training online. ” 1b-iii) Open vs. closed, web-based (self-assessment) vs. face-to-face assessments in the METHODS section of the ABSTRACT Yes. “Participants were recruited online and offline among local universities. ” 1b-iv) RESULTS section in abstract must contain use data Yes. “Three hundred and twenty-seven university students and staff were randomly assigned to three conditions. The basic (n=119) and HAPAenhanced (n=134) groups completed the 8-week fully automated mindfulness training online. All participants (including control, n=107) were asked to complete a questionnaire pre-program, post-program, and at 3-month follow-up. ” 1b-v) CONCLUSIONS/DISCUSSION in abstract for negative trials Yes. “The HAPA-enhanced group showed significantly higher levels of mindfulness from preto post-, and such improvement was sustained at followup. Both the basic and HAPA-enhanced mindfulness groups showed better mental well-being from preto post-, and improvement was sustained at 3month follow-up. ” INTRODUCTION 2a-i) Problem and the type of system/solution Yes. The objective of this study is to explore the efficacy of teaching mindfulness over the internet without the traditional face-to-face setting. In addition, “we also evaluated the utility of applying principles set out in the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) in enhancing the effect of mindfulness on mental health outcomes. ” 2a-ii) Scientific background, rationale: What is known about the (type of) system Yes. “Internet-based interventions have been shown to be effective in the prevention of depression and anxiety for both research trial participants and public registrants (Andersson et al., 2005; Christensen & Griffiths, 2002; Christensen, Griffiths, & Jorm, 2004; Christensen, Griffiths, Korten, Brittliffe, & Groves, 2004; Clarke et al., 2005; Spek et al., 2007; Titov et al., 2009). The effectiveness of internet-based mental health promotion was also demonstrated in community samples in Western countries (Andersson et al., 2005; Christensen, Griffiths, & Jorm, 2004; Christensen, Griffiths, Korten, et al., 2004; Clarke et al., 2005; Titov et al., 2009); however, no study to date has evaluated internet-based mental health promotion programs in Asia. ” METHODS 3a) CONSORT: Description of trial design (such as parallel, factorial) including allocation ratio Yes. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the web-based HAPA-enhanced mindfulness, basic mindfulness programs against waitlist control. “We hypothesize HAPA-enhanced mindfulness group to demonstrate better result than basic mindfulness group, and both groups should attain better wellbeing than waitlist control. ” 3b) CONSORT: Important changes to methods after trial commencement (such as eligibility criteria), with reasons No. No important change to methods after trial commencement. 3b-i) Bug fixes, Downtimes, Content Changes No system change after trial commenced. 4a) CONSORT: Eligibility criteria for participants Yes. "Eligibility criteria include at least 18 years of age, are computer and Internet literate, and have easy access to the Internet. " 4a-i) Computer / Internet literacy Yes. “All participants were computer and Internet literate. ” 4a-ii) Open vs. closed, web-based vs. face-to-face assessments: Yes. “Participants were recruited from seven local universities in Hong Kong through mass emails, newsletters, and online forums. ” “Participants assigned to the HAPA-enhanced and basic mindfulness groups were invited to attend a 3-hour workshop to provide a basic overview of mindfulness and other logistic details concerning website usage. At the end of the workshop, each of the participants was given a unique user identification and password to access the website. They are allowed to change the password upon their first log-in. ” 4a-iii) Information giving during recruitment Yes. "When participants signed up for the participation in the study, they were informed that it is a research study where they will be randomly assigned to one of the three conditions: HAPA-enhanced mindfulness, basic mindfulness, and waitlist control. We randomly assigned them into three groups based on a random digit generated by the computer program. All participants were informed that they need to complete three sets of questionnaire at pre-program, post-program, and at three-month follow-up. For control participants, it would be at baseline, 8 weeks post-baseline, and 20 weeks postbaseline. Participants assigned to the former two conditions were asked to log into the website for six days a week for eight weeks to review the information, do the exercises, and report their well-being. Those in the control condition were given access to the website five months later. The study was approved by the institutional review board of the investigators’ university. " 4b) CONSORT: Settings and locations where the data were collected Yes. All data were collected online.