Clinical trial NCT05738109: Evaluating the Efficacy of a 91-day Self-talk Mental Health Self-care Journal
Official title: Evaluating the Efficacy of a 91-day Self-talk Mental Health Self-care Journal
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Mental Health
Self Care
Keywords: mental health
self-care
self-talk
pilot trial
Lead sponsor: University of Victoria
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Switch Research
name: Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems
First posted: 2023-02-21
Enrollment: 67
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 19
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: OTHER

Brief summary: 1. Does a 91-day self-talk journal intervention improve outcomes of self-criticism, self-esteem, automatic negative self-statements, and mental health among participants using the journal over wait-list control?
2. What is the adherence rate to a 91-day self-talk journal intervention?
3. What were participants' experience(s) of using a 91-day self-talk journal?

Detailed description: The following research project can contribute to the investigators' understanding of how/how well self-guided resources can increase participant outcomes of self-criticism, self-esteem, automatic negative self-statements, and mental health. Self-guided resources such as a self-talk journal provide can provide an easily accessible avenue for improving individual mental health. There has been a recent surge in the popularity of health-promotive self-care products, or products aimed at providing individuals with "the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to achieve and maintain good health". These products (often in the form of journals) are similar to "self-help books"; however, a key difference is that self-care products prompt and provide space for the reader to actively engage in activities and psychological techniques, unlike the passive nature of traditional self-help books. These products typically address mental health concerns (i.e., mental health self-care) and are advertised to provide an effective means for individuals to reduce stress, improve self-compassion, and boost wellbeing. What's more, the generally positive reviews these products garner provides the perception that these products are well-received and effective in eliciting these outcomes. However, the scientific foundation for the majority of these journals is unknown. Furthermore, the efficacy of these products for improving or promoting their intended outcome(s) is often not addressed outside of these, often positive, reviews.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

(1) being 19+ years old, (2) being fluent in English, (3) currently living in the Greater Victoria area, (4) self-reporting no previously diagnosed mental illness or psychiatric conditions, and (5) scoring \>12 on the Self-Criticism subscale of the Self-Talk Scale (based on previous mean data; Brinthaupt, Hein, \& Kramer, 2009).

Exclusion Criteria:

* Scoring =\<12 on the Self-Talk Scale, currently receiving or seeking therapy for a mental illness, or a current or previous diagnosis of mental illness.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Self-Talk.
timeFrame: Change from baseline at 2 weeks, 1 month , 2 months, and 3 months for all participants. As well as 4 months for intervention participants
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Self-esteem
timeFrame: Change from baseline at 2 weeks, 1 month , 2 months, and 3 months for all participants. As well as 4 months for intervention participants
measure: Self-consciousness
timeFrame: Change from baseline at 2 weeks, 1 month , 2 months, and 3 months for all participants. As well as 4 months for intervention participants
measure: Automatic Negative Self-Statements
timeFrame: Change from baseline at 2 weeks, 1 month , 2 months, and 3 months for all participants. As well as 4 months for intervention participants
measure: Adherence to Journal
timeFrame: Change from baseline at 2 weeks, 1 month , 2 months, and 3 months for all participants. As well as 4 months for intervention participants
measure: Experience using the journal.
timeFrame: At 3 months from baseline or if and when intervention participants drop out of the study
measure: Demographics
timeFrame: Baseline
measure: Mental Health
timeFrame: Change from baseline at 2 weeks, 1 month , 2 months, and 3 months for all participants. As well as 4 months for intervention participants
measure: Subjective Well-Being
timeFrame: Change from baseline at 2 weeks, 1 month , 2 months, and 3 months for all participants. As well as 4 months for intervention participants
measure: Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Sleep
timeFrame: Change from baseline at 2 weeks, 1 month , 2 months, and 3 months for all participants. As well as 4 months for intervention participants
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Victoria
country: Canada
facility: Behavioural Medicine Lab UVic
state: British Columbia
Study officials:
affiliation: Lab Director and Professor
name: Ryan Rhodes, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: