Cognitive Behavioral Intervention and Adventure Training for Chinese University Students in Hong Kong

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study developed an adventure-based cognitive behavioral intervention program for Hong Kong university student. The program effectiveness was evaluated in reducing psychological distress and improving mental health of university students. The 3-month maintenance effect was also tested.

Detailed Description
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University students are vulnerable to mental health problems due to the various challenges they have to face in university life. However, few studies have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of university counseling programs in Hong Kong. This project aims at developing and systematically evaluating a culturally adapted and adventure-based cognitive behavioral intervention (aCBI) program to decrease psychological distress and improve various mental health outcomes for Chinese university students in Hong Kong. The aCBI program was delivered in a form of general education course in a university setting. Single group Pre-posttest design was adopted.The program was evaluated its effectiveness in reducing psychological distress, perceived stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms, negative thoughts and negative emotions and increasing positive thoughts and positive emotions.

Official Title
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Improving Mental Health by Cognitive Behavioral Intervention and Adventure Training for Chinese University Students in Hong Kong

Conditions
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: adventure-based cognitive behavioral intervention


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: be of Chinese nationality be studying in undergraduate programs at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), as the aCBI program will be provided in the form of a general education course at this university have GHQ-12 scores of 2-10 (0-0-1-1) (i.e., mild to moderate levels of psychological distress) be willing to complete the entire process of the project. Exclusion Criteria: have GHQ-12 scores of 0-1 (i.e., a low level of psychological distress) or 11-12 (i.e., a high level of psychological distress) have one or more psychosis have experienced severe depression with suicidal attempts/ideation in the past 3 months, as diagnosed by a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Single group pre-posttest design
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Adventure-based cognitive behavioral intervention<br>An adventure-based cognitive behavioral intervention program An 13-session adventure-based cognitive behavioral intervention program, including 6 lectures, 5 workshops and adventure games, and one adventure day camp (2 sessions). One session per week, 3 hours for each session. A variety of cognitive behavioral skills are taught in lectures and these skills are practiced in two groups (with appropriately 20 students in each group) in workshop to help students to apply these skills to cope with their own daily life stress. The adventure training includes a day adventure camp and five 40-minute adventure games in the beginning of each workshop. Skill briefing, case demonstration and debriefing, group sharing and discussion, in-class exercise and homework are used in the intervention program. | Other: adventure-based cognitive behavioral intervention<br>* The adventure-based cognitive behavioral intervention is a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and adventure training. The intervention program is delivered in a 39-hour general education course in a public university in Hong Kong. The program includes 6 lectures, 5 workshops, 5 adventure games and an adventure day camp. Students are divided into two groups in workshop to practise CBT skills to deal with their own issues.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| General Health Questionnaire-12 | 12-item rating scale for psychological distress, scale score ranges from 0-12, with a higher score indicating a higher level of psychological distress | baseline: before the intervention program starts | 
| General Health Questionnaire-12 | 12-item rating scale for psychological distress, scale score ranges from 0-12, with a higher score indicating a higher level of psychological distress | post-test: 1 month upon completion of the intervention program | 
| General Health Questionnaire-12 | 12-item rating scale for psychological distress, scale score ranges from 0-12, with a higher score indicating a higher level of psychological distress | 3-month follow-up test: 3 months after completion of the intervention program | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Perceived Stress Scale | 10-item rating scale for perceived stress, scale score ranges from 0-4, with a higher score indicating a higher level of perceived stress | baseline: before the intervention program starts | 
| Perceived Stress Scale | 10-item rating scale for perceived stress, scale score ranges from 0-4, with a higher score indicating a higher level of perceived stress | post-test: 1 month upon completion of the intervention program | 
| Perceived Stress Scale | 10-item rating scale for perceived stress, scale score ranges from 0-4, with a higher score indicating a higher level of perceived stress | 3-month follow-up test: 3 months after completion of the intervention program | 
| Beck Depression Inventory | 21-item rating scale for depressive symptoms, scale score ranges from 0-63, with a higher score indicating a higher level of depressive symptions | baseline: before the intervention program starts | 
| Beck Depression Inventory | 21-item rating scale for depressive symptoms, scale score ranges from 0-63, with a higher score indicating a higher level of depressive symptions | post-test: 1 month upon completion of the intervention program | 
| Beck Depression Inventory | 21-item rating scale for depressive symptoms, scale score ranges from 0-63, with a higher score indicating a higher level of depressive symptions | 3-month follow-up test: 3 months after completion of the intervention program | 
| Beck Anxiety Inventory | 21-item rating scale for anxiety symptoms, scale score ranges from 0-63, with a higher score indicating a higher level of anxiety symptoms | baseline: before the intervention program starts | 
| Beck Anxiety Inventory | 21-item rating scale for anxiety symptoms, scale score ranges from 0-63, with a higher score indicating a higher level of anxiety symptoms | post-test: 1 month upon completion of the intervention program | 
| Beck Anxiety Inventory | 21-item rating scale for anxiety symptoms, scale score ranges from 0-63, with a higher score indicating a higher level of anxiety symptoms | 3-month follow-up test: 3 months after completion of the intervention program | 
| Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire | 14-item rating scale for positive and negative automatic thoughts, score ranges from 1-5 for the positive thought subscale and negative thought subscale, with a higher score indicating a higher level of positive/negative thought | baseline: before the intervention program starts | 
| Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire | 14-item rating scale for positive and negative automatic thoughts, score ranges from 1-5 for the positive thought subscale and negative thought subscale, with a higher score indicating a higher level of positive/negative thought | post-test: 1 month upon completion of the intervention program | 
| Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire | 14-item rating scale for positive and negative automatic thoughts, score ranges from 1-5 for the positive thought subscale and negative thought subscale, with a higher score indicating a higher level of positive/negative thought | 3-month follow-up test: 3 months after completion of the intervention program | 
| Chinese Affect Scale | 20-item rating scale for positive and negative emotions, score ranges from 1-6 for positive emotion subscale and negative emotion subscale, with a higher score indicating a higher level of positive/negative emotion | baseline: before the intervention program starts | 
| Chinese Affect Scale | 20-item rating scale for positive and negative emotions, score ranges from 1-6 for positive emotion subscale and negative emotion subscale, with a higher score indicating a higher level of positive/negative emotion | post-test: 1 month upon completion of the intervention program | 
| Chinese Affect Scale | 20-item rating scale for positive and negative emotions, score ranges from 1-6 for positive emotion subscale and negative emotion subscale, with a higher score indicating a higher level of positive/negative emotion | 3-month follow-up test: 3 months after completion of the intervention program | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Chinese university student, mental health, adventure training