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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06140498

Effects of Self-Efficacy Ecological Momentary Intervention (EMA) App

This "SeApp" study aims to test a self-efficacy Ecological Momentary Intervention (EMI) in healthy students in the context of COVID-19. EMIs are mostly smartphone-based applications that deliver interventions to people while being engaged in their daily life activities. The app harnesses the power of self-efficacy autobiographical memories (e.g. problem-solving memories, memories of success).

Ecological Momentary Assessments (EMAs) are also incorporated into the study to capture individuals' feelings, affect, and behavior in real time.

Clarification added [September 2025]: The record previously showed an incorrect estimated enrollment due to a data entry error. The planned enrollment for this trial was 93, consistent with comparable prior studies, and enrollment was closed when 93 participants had been enrolled.

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Key information

Conditions

Self Efficacy

Age range

18 year–61 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

The New School

New York, 10011, United States

About this study

This "SeApp" study aims to test a self-efficacy Ecological Momentary Intervention (EMI) in healthy students in the context of COVID-19. EMIs are mostly smartphone-based applications that deliver interventions to people while being engaged in their daily life activities. The app harnesses the power of self-efficacy autobiographical memories (e.g. problem-solving memories, memories of success).

Ecological Momentary Assessments (EMAs) are also incorporated into the study to capture individuals' feelings, affect, and behavior in real time.

Developed by psychologist Dr. Albert Bandura in 1977, the concept of self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in their ability to perform the necessary actions to manage particular situations. Bandura's theory highlights four major components of self-efficacy, including mastery experiences, socialmodeling, social persuasion, and psychological responses. The app tested here focuses on mastery experiences, which are what individuals gain when they take on a challenge and succeed. The app prompts participants in the daily recall of self-efficacy memories. The project aims to test its feasibility and to investigate how daily self-efficacy and motivation can be enhanced and perceived stress and depression reduced by daily memory-based training via smartphone app.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Value on Perceived Stress Scale ≥ 13
  • Student
  • Owner of a smartphone

Exclusion criteria

  • Psychiatric history

-

Treatment and study plan

Self-Efficacy Training and Ecological Momentary Assessment

Behavioral

Participants receive 3 self-efficacy trainings per day, combined with Ecological Momentary Assessments assessing mood, social contacts, and virtual context 3x/day for one week

Control intervention: Ecological Momentary Assessment only

Behavioral

Participants receive Ecological Momentary Assessments assessing mood, social contacts, and virtual context 3x/day for one week only

Primary outcomes

  1. General Self-Efficacy

    Time frame: after app completion and 1 month after app completion

    change in general self-efficacy meeasured using the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE, 10 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale with higher scores indicating greater levels of self-efficacy; min=10, max=40)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Perceived Stress

    Time frame: after app completion and 1 month after app completion

    change in perceived stress measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS; 10 items rated on a 0-4 scale with higher scores indicating greater levels of perceived stress; min=0, max=40)

  2. Intolerance of Uncertainty

    Time frame: after app completion and 1 month after app completion

    change in intolerance of uncertainty measured using the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS; 12 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale with higher scores indicating greater intolerance of uncertainty; min=12, max=60)

  3. State and Trait Anxiety

    Time frame: after app completion and 1 month after app completion

    change in state and trait anxiety measured using the The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; 40 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale with a commonly used cutoff score of 40 indicating probable clinical levels of anxiety; min=20, max=80 on the subscales)

  4. Positive and Negative Affect positive and negative affect

    Time frame: after app completion and 1 month after app completion

    change in positive and negative affect measured using the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS; 20 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale with 10 items measuring positive affect and 10 items measuring and higher scores indicating greater levels of positive or negative affect; min=10, max=50 on the subscales)

  5. Hopelessness

    Time frame: after app completion and 1 month after app completion

    change in hopelessness measured using the BHS

  6. Depression

    Time frame: after app completion and 1 month after app completion

    change in depression measured using the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BDI-II; 20 true and false items with higher scores indicating greater levels of hopelessness)

Other outcomes

  1. Ecological Momentary Assessment

    Time frame: through app participation (1 week)

    change of momentary mood

  2. Hope

    Time frame: after app completion and 1 month after app completion

    change in hope measured using the Adult Hope Scale (AHS; consists of 12 items, and respondents are required to rate each item on an 8-point Likert scale; min=12, max=96)

  3. Satisfaction with Mobile Application

    Time frame: single time point: immediately after the intervention

    to evaluate usage of app using the User version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale (uMARS; consists of 20 itesm, scores ranges from 1 to 5; the total score could range from 20 to 100, with higher scores indicating a higher overall quality rating for the app)

  4. Coronavirus Anxiety Scale

    Time frame: after app completion and 1 month after app completion

    to evaluate association with coronoavirus anxiety the coronavirus anxiety scale is used (10 items, each rated on a scale of 0 to 4, the total score could range from 0 to 40)

  5. Self-efficacy memories

    Time frame: single time point: baseline

    exploratory (descriptive) analysis, using no scale

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

The New School

Other

Collaborators

  • University of Zurich

Registry information

Acronym: EMA

Important dates

Study start
2021
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2023
First posted
Nov 20, 2023
Registry last updated
Oct 6, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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