Clinical trial NCT05542498: Promoting Stress Management and Engagement in Introductory Physics Courses with Mindfulness and Relaxation
Official title: Mobile Mindfulness Training and Physics Learning
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Psychological Stress
Coping Skills
Emotions
Emotion Regulation
Keywords: Mindfulness
Physics Education
Psychological Challenge and Threat
Engagement
Motivation
Relaxation
Lead sponsor: University of Pittsburgh
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: U.S. National Science Foundation
First posted: 2022-09-15
Enrollment: 303
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: 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.


Eligibility criteria: 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

Primary outcomes:
measure: Mean Change in Daily Physics Emotions from baseline up to 1 week post-intervention assessed via Daily Diary Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment up to 1 week post-intervention
measure: Mean Change in Daily Responses to Physics Emotions from baseline up to 1 week post-intervention assessed via Daily Diary Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment up to 1 week post-intervention
measure: Mean Change in Daily Threat vs. Challenge Appraisals from baseline up to 1 week post-intervention assessed via Daily Diary Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment up to 1 week post-intervention
measure: Mean Change in Daily Physics Engagement from baseline up to 1 week post-intervention assessed via Daily Diary Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment up to 1 week post-intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: State Presence assessed via Ecological Momentary Assessment
timeFrame: during intervention, five days
measure: State Relaxation assessed via Ecological Momentary Assessment
timeFrame: during intervention, five days
measure: State Physics Anxiety assessed via Ecological Momentary Assessment
timeFrame: during intervention, five days
measure: Mean Change in Physics Anxiety from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention
measure: Mean Change in Psychological Threat vs. Challenge from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention
measure: Mean Change in Unpleasant Emotions-Can-Be-Enhancing Mindset from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention
measure: Mean Change in Physics Self-Efficacy from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention
measure: Mean Change in Physics Belonging from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention
measure: Mean Change in Metacognitive strategies from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention
measure: Mean Change in Physics Intelligence Mindset from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention
measure: Mean Change in Cognitive Effort from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention
measure: Mean Change in Physics Identity from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention
measure: Mean Change in Proactive Mindset from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention
measure: Mean Change in Cognitive Problem-Solving Strategies from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention
measure: Mean Change in Physics Value from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention
measure: Performance on Physics problem solving Tasks
timeFrame: 3 days post-intervention
measure: Performance on the Preparation for Future Learning Task
timeFrame: 3 days post-intervention
measure: Judgments of confidence, difficulty, and self-efficacy during the physics problem solving and Preparation for Future Learning tasks assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: 3 days post-intervention
measure: Problem selection on a Make-a-Physics task
timeFrame: 3 days post-intervention
Other outcomes:
measure: Performance in Physics Class
timeFrame: End of semester following intervention, approximately 12 weeks
measure: Retention in Physics Classes
timeFrame: End of semester following intervention, approximately 7 months
measure: Mean Change in Mindfulness from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention
measure: Mean Change in Rational-Experiential Ability from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention
measure: Mean Change in Knowledge Transfer from baseline up to 3 months post-intervention assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: From enrollment, up to 3 months post-intervention
measure: Treatment Expectancy assessed via Self-Report
timeFrame: 3 days post-intervention
measure: Intervention Attention Check Questions assessed via Ecological Momentary Assessment
timeFrame: during intervention, five days
Locations:
city: Pittsburgh
country: United States
facility: University of Pittsburgh
state: Pennsylvania
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Pittsburgh
name: Brian Galla, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: University of Pittsburgh
name: Timothy Nokes-Malach, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: