PERMA-Based Mobile Psychological Intervention With and Without Telephone Support for University Students

University students face increasing academic and psychosocial demands that place them at risk of reduced psychological well-being. Positive psychology interventions have demonstrated efficacy in promoting mental health; however, few are grounded explicitly in Seligman's PERMA model and adherence to digital interventions remains limited. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of a brief PERMA-based psychological intervention delivered via a smartphone application, with and without supplementary telephone multiconference support, compared to a waiting list control group. The intervention consists of five weekly modules targeting Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and at six-month follow-up.

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Key information

Conditions

Psychological Well Being Behavior Mental Health Promotion Personal Satisfaction Psychological Well-Being

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

Being an actively enrolled university student at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC)
Having access to a smartphone with an internet connection.

Exclusion criteria

Having a current diagnosis of severe psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder with psychotic features, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, severe cognitive impairment, dissociative disorders, or active substance dependence
Having started psychological or psychopharmacological treatment within the two months prior to the study or participating in another mental health-related study
Having insufficient proficiency in Spanish, or presenting sensory, cognitive, or physical impairments that would prevent engagement with the intervention
Planning to move out of Galicia within the next 12 months.

Treatment and study plan

App Based PERMA intervention

Behavioral

App Based PERMA intervention plus telephone multiconference

Behavioral

The PPIA intervention is a structured psychological program grounded in the PERMA model of well-being (Seligman, 2011). This model proposes that long-term flourishing depends on developing five pillars: Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. The intervention is further supported by the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions (Fredrickson, 2001), flow theory (Csikszentmihalyi,1990), research on character strengths and positive relationships (Peterson & Seligman, 2004; Reis & Gable, 2003), meaning in life (Steger, 2009), the goalsetting theory (Locke & Latham, 2002) and growth mindset principles (Dweck, 2006). Additionally, the multiconference component will consist of weekly 30-minute telephone-based multiconference sessions. During these sessions, positive or corrective feedback will be delivered in accordance with Miltenberger's guidelines (Miltenberger, 2012) after reviewing the completed homework.

Primary outcomes

Change from baseline emotional well-being to post-intervention (5 weeks) and 6-month follow-up

Time frame: Pre- and post -intervention (5 weeks) and 6-month follow-up

One of the primary outcomes of the study will be emotional well-being. This construct will be evaluated using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS; Tennant et al., 2007).
Change from baseline well-being to post-intervention (5 weeks) and 6-month follow-up

Time frame: Pre- and post -intervention (5 weeks) and 6-month follow-up.

One of the primary outcomes of this study will be well-being (which comprises three elements, emotional, psychological and social well-being)l. This constructs will be evaluated using the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF; Keyes, 2002).

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Vanessa Blanco, Professor

CONTACT

[email protected]

+34 881813744

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Santiago de Compostela

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Efficacy of a Positive Psychology-Based Psychological Intervention Grounded in the PERMA Model Delivered Via Smartphone App, With and Without Telephone Multiconference Support, for the Promotion of Psychological Well-Being in University Students

Important dates

Study start: 2026
Primary completion: 2029
Study completion: 2029
First posted: Mar 12, 2026
Registry last updated: Mar 12, 2026

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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