Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT04367363

Social Media and COVID-19

In this protocol, we seek to examine the role of popular messaging platform WhatsApp in information spread during a crisis. As there have been few global crises in the last decade (coinciding with the rise of social media), the role of private messaging platforms such as WhatsApp during crisis contexts remains understudied. During the current COVID-19 global health crisis, we undertook this study to: (1) characterize the nature of WhatsApp use during crises, (2) characterize the profiles of WhatsApp users (3) understand how WhatsApp usage links to well-being (fear and thoughts about COVID-19).

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Coronavirus Anxiety Anxiety Disorders Behavior Behavioral Symptoms COVID-19 Communication Coronaviridae Infections Coronavirus Infections Depression Infections Lung Diseases Mental Disorders Nidovirales Infections Pneumonia Pneumonia, Viral RNA Virus Infections Respiratory Tract Diseases Respiratory Tract Infections Stress Virus Diseases

Age range

21 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Yale-NUS College

Singapore, 138527

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • At least 21 years
  • Has stayed in Singapore for at least 2 years
  • Has a WhatsApp account that can be used for the research study

Exclusion criteria

  • Below 21 years
  • Has stayed in Singapore for less than 2 years
  • Does not have a WhatsApp account that can be used for the research study

Treatment and study plan

Social media & news consumption

Behavioral

Daily reports of social media use and consumption, including reports on receiving and disseminating news articles related to the COVID-19 situation (e.g., how many messaging groups shared news on the outbreak, how many items related to the outbreak they forwarded to others, etc).

Primary outcomes

  1. WhatsApp usage

    Time frame: 1 week, starting from date after baseline survey completion

    Participants were asked a series of questions daily related to their WhatsApp usage behaviors - in particular, their message-forwarding, personal chat and group chat behaviors.

  2. Changes in fear with regards the COVID-19 situation across 1 week

    Time frame: 1 week, starting from date after baseline survey completion

    1 item each day on fear specifically of the COVID-19 situation (measured on a 4 point scale: min = 1, max = 4; higher scores indicating greater fear about the outbreak).

  3. Changes in amount of thinking about the COVID-19 situation across 1 week

    Time frame: 1 week, starting from date after initial survey completion

    1 item each day on how much they thought about the outbreak that day (measured on a 5 point scale: min = 1, max = 5; higher scores indicating more thinking about the outbreak).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Jean Liu

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Tracking WhatsApp Behaviors During a Crisis: A Longitudinal Observation of Messaging Activities During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2020
Study completion
2020
First posted
Apr 29, 2020
Registry last updated
Dec 29, 2020

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.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.