Promoting Stress Management and Engagement in Introductory Physics Courses With Mindfulness and Relaxation

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study tests the impact of mindfulness vs. relaxation training on psychological threat and challenge, emotions/emotion regulation, motivation/engagement, and performance among undergraduates enrolled in introductory physics courses. Data used to compare groups will be collected from a variety of sources, including self-report surveys, experience sampling and daily diary assessments, physics learning activities, and academic records.

Official Title
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Mobile Mindfulness Training and Physics Learning

Conditions
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Psychological Stress, Coping Skills, Emotions, Emotion Regulation

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Mindfulness
* Behavioral: Relaxation


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: at least 18 years of age current University of Pittsburgh undergraduate enrolled in introductory physics self-reports psychological threat in physics Exclusion Criteria: under 18 years of age not a current University of Pittsburgh undergraduate not enrolled in introductory physics does not self-report psychological threat in physics

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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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Mindfulness Training<br>5-lesson audio-guided mindfulness training program delivered over 5 consecutive days, with two additional writing activities on day 1 and day 5 | Behavioral: Mindfulness<br>* Training is focused on learning and applying the principles of R.A.I.N. (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Non-identify) in the context of physics learning.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Relaxation Training<br>5-lesson audio-guided relaxation training program delivered over 5 consecutive days, with two additional writing activities on day 1 and day 5 | Behavioral: Relaxation<br>* Training is focused on learning and applying relaxation practices (e.g., progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery) in the context of physics learning.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mean Change in Daily Physics Emotions from baseline up to 1 week post-intervention assessed via Daily Diary Self-Report | Daily Physics Emotions measured using 12 self-report items with Likert scale from 0 (not at all) to 4 (an extreme amount). Daily Physics Emotions are calculated by averaging daily emotion items, with scores closer to 4 indicating experiencing more extreme emotions in physics. | From enrollment up to 1 week post-intervention | 
| Mean Change in Daily Responses to Physics Emotions from baseline up to 1 week post-intervention assessed via Daily Diary Self-Report | Daily reappraisal, perspective shifting, and relaxation measured using 6 self-report items with Likert scale from 0 (not at all true) to 4 (completely true). Composite scores for reappraisal, perspective shifting, and relaxation are calculated as an average of all items for each subscale, respectively. Daily responses to emotions ranges from 0 to 4, with higher scores indicating greater use of reappraisal, perspective shifting, or relaxation. | From enrollment up to 1 week post-intervention | 
| Mean Change in Daily Threat vs. Challenge Appraisals from baseline up to 1 week post-intervention assessed via Daily Diary Self-Report | Daily Threat vs. Challenge Appraisals measured using 3 self-report items about threat, challenge, and confidence with regarding to unpleasant physics emotions with Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree). | From enrollment up to 1 week post-intervention | 
| Mean Change in Daily Physics Engagement from baseline up to 1 week post-intervention assessed via Daily Diary Self-Report | Degree to which students felt engaged in and motivated to learn physics on a daily basis. Measured using 2 self-report items measured with Likert scale from 1 (not at all motivated/engaged) to 6 (extremely motivated/engaged). Daily engagement is calculated by averaging both items, with scores closer to 6 indicating more greater physics engagement. | From enrollment up to 1 week post-intervention | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| State Presence assessed via Ecological Momentary Assessment | Experiences of decentering and curiosity, measured using 6 self-report items with Likert scale from 0 (not at all) to 4 (very much). State presence is calculated by averaging decentering and curiosity items, with scores closer to 4 indicating greater state presence. | during intervention, five days | 
| State Relaxation assessed via Ecological Momentary Assessment | Experiences of relaxation, measured using 3 self-report items with Likert scale from 0 (not at all) to 4 (very much). State relaxation is calculated by averaging relaxation items, with scores closer to 4 indicating greater state relaxation. | during intervention, five days | 
| State Physics Anxiety assessed via Ecological Momentary Assessment | Current level of anxiety about physics measured using 1 self-report item with Likert scale from 0 (not at all) to 4 (very much), with scores closer to 4 indicating higher anxiety about physics. | during intervention, five days | 
| Mean Change in Physics Anxiety from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report | Anxiety evaluation or learning while doing physics work, measured using 8 self-report items with Likert scale from 1 (low anxiety) to 5 (high anxiety). Physics anxiety is calculated as an average of all of the items for each subscale, respectively. Physics anxiety ranges from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating greater physics anxiety. | From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention | 
| Mean Change in Psychological Threat vs. Challenge from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report | Psychological Threat vs. Challenge, measured using 11 self-report items with Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree). Psychological threat is calculated by subtracting average of physics demands from average of physics resources. Difference score ranges from -5 to 5, with scores above zero indicating psychological threat and scores of 0 or lower indicating psychological challenge. | From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention | 
| Mean Change in Unpleasant Emotions-Can-Be-Enhancing Mindset from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report | Belief that unpleasant emotions are a signal that learning and growth are possible, measured using 3 self-report items with Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree). Unpleasant Emotions-Can-Be-Enhancing mindset is calculated as an average of all items ranging from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater endorsement of this mindset. | From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention | 
| Mean Change in Physics Self-Efficacy from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report | Belief of efficacy with respect to physics skills and abilities, measured using 5 self-report items with Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree). Physics Self-Efficacy is calculated as an average of all items from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater self-efficacy in physics. | From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention | 
| Mean Change in Physics Belonging from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report | Student's sense of belonging in their physics course, measured using 5 self-report items with Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree). Physics Belonging is calculated as an average of all items from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater sense of belonging in physics. | From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention | 
| Mean Change in Metacognitive strategies from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report | Metacognitive strategies, measured using 7 self-report items with Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree). Metacognitive strategies are calculated as an average of all items, ranging from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater use of metacognitive strategies. | From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention | 
| Mean Change in Physics Intelligence Mindset from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report | Belief that intelligence and abilities for physics can be developed through dedication and hard work, measured using 3 self-report items with Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree). Growth mindset is calculated as an average of all items ranging from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater growth mindset and lower scores indicating greater fixed mindset. | From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention | 
| Mean Change in Cognitive Effort from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report | Cognitive effort, measured using 4 self-report items with Likert scale from (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree). Cognitive effort is calculated as an average of all items, ranging from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater cognitive effort. | From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention | 
| Mean Change in Physics Identity from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report | The degree by which students associate their self-concept with physics, measured using 4 self-report items with Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree). Physics Identity is calculated as an average of all items from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater identification with physics. | From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention | 
| Mean Change in Proactive Mindset from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report | Proactive mindset, measured using 6 self-report items with Likert scale from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very much). Proactive mindset is calculated as an average of all items, with higher scores indicating greater proactive mindset. | From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention | 
| Mean Change in Cognitive Problem-Solving Strategies from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report | Use of explanation and analogy as problem solving strategies when working on physics, measured using 6 self-report items with Likert scale from (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree). Each subscale is calculated as an average of all of the items for each subscale, respectively. Cognitive problem-solving strategies range from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater use of explanation or analogy problem solving strategies. | From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention | 
| Mean Change in Physics Value from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report | Perceived interest in and utility value of learning physics, measured using 2 self-report items with Likert scale from 1 to 6. Physics Value is calculated as an average of both items from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater perceived value of learning physics. | From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention | 
| Performance on Physics problem solving Tasks | Physics problem solving tasks that range in difficulty covering content from introductory physics. Each item is scored for accuracy and solution time. Multiple choice items are scored as correct or incorrect. Accuracy scores are averaged across the items with higher scores indicating better physics performance. | 3 days post-intervention | 
| Performance on the Preparation for Future Learning Task | Physics problem solving tasks that include new learning resources (e.g., a worked example) and a transfer task. Each item is scored for accuracy and latency. Explanation items are scored on a rubric. Accuracy scores are summed across items with higher scores indicating better physics learning. Latencies will be examined for how much time was spent with the learning resource and time spent solving the problems. | 3 days post-intervention | 
| Judgments of confidence, difficulty, and self-efficacy during the physics problem solving and Preparation for Future Learning tasks assessed via Self-Report | Judgments of confidence, difficulty, and self-efficacy during physics problem solving, with each subscale measured using self-report items with Likert scale from 1 to 6. Each subscale is calculated as an average of all of the items, with higher scores indicating greater confidence, difficulty, and self-efficacy respectively. | 3 days post-intervention | 
| Problem selection on a Make-a-Physics task | Physics problem solving tasks that range in difficulty from more to less challenging. Participants select problems to be included on a work sheet. Scores are calculated by summing the number of problems selected for each problem type. | 3 days post-intervention | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Mindfulness, Psychological Challenge and Threat, Engagement, Motivation, Relaxation, Physics Education