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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07464301

Stress Autism Mate (SAM) App for Stress Management in Adults With Borderline Personality Disorder Traits

The goal of this intervention study is to learn whether a stress management app (Stress Autism Mate, SAM) can help reduce stress and support coping in adults with borderline personality disorder traits receiving outpatient mental health care. The SAM app is a self-monitoring app designed in co-creation with and for individuals with autism, that supports users in recognizing, understanding, and managing daily stress. The app measures stress levels multiple times per day by asking what you were doing, how you were feeling and your stress signals. It offers real-time feedback and a visual overview of stress levels at both the daily and weekly level, and connecting to your activities. This allows users to recognize their own stress triggers and patterns. In addition, the app provides practical stress-reducing tips. The study focuses on changes in daily stress levels and self-reported perceived stress, coping self-efficacy, and resilience during and after use of the app.

The main questions this study aims to answer are:

1. Does using the SAM app change daily stress levels measured within the app during four weeks of use? 2. Does app use reduce perceived stress and improve coping self-efficacy and resilience after the intervention?

Participants will:

* Use the SAM app on their smartphone for four weeks * Complete short in-app stress questionnaires multiple times per day * Complete online questionnaires about stress, coping, and resilience at several time points * Continue their regular outpatient treatment during the study

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Key information

Conditions

Borderline Personality Disorder Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Mental Disorders Perceived Stress Personality Disorders Stress (Psychology) Stress, Psychological

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

GGZ Centraal

Amersfoort, 3811MG, Netherlands

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Presence of at least one borderline personality disorder (BPD) trait, as assessed according to DSM-5 criteria and the diagnostic guidelines of the Dutch Association of Psychiatry (NVVP)
  • Age 18 years or older

Exclusion criteria

  • inability to understand Dutch
  • inability to use a smartphone

Treatment and study plan

Mobile Application for Stress Monitoring and Coping

Behavioral

This intervention consists of a smartphone-based stress monitoring and coping application designed to support daily self-management of stress. The application uses ecological momentary assessment to prompt users multiple times per day to report stress-related experiences in their own environment. Based on these inputs, the app provides visual feedback on individual stress patterns over time and offers personalized coping suggestions. The intervention is low risk and self-guided.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change From Baseline in Daily Stress Scores as Measured by In-App Assessments During the Intervention Period

    Time frame: From baseline (day 1-7) to the end of the intervention period (day 8-30).

    Daily stress was assessed using brief self-report stress questions embedded in the mobile application. Participants were prompted multiple times per day to rate their current level of stress. Stress scores reflect momentary perceived stress experiences and were aggregated over time for each participant. Change in daily stress was evaluated by comparing stress scores during the intervention period to the baseline phase.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change From Baseline in Perceived Stress as Measured by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)

    Time frame: From baseline to pre-intervention (week 4), to post-intervention (week 8) and 4-week follow-up (week 12).

    Perceived stress was assessed using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), a self-report questionnaire measuring the extent to which situations in life are experienced as stressful. Change in perceived stress was evaluated by comparing scores at post-intervention and follow-up to baseline.

  2. Change From Baseline in Coping Self-Efficacy as Measured by the Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES)

    Time frame: From baseline to pre-intervention (week 4), to post-intervention (week 8) and 4-week follow-up (week 12).

    Coping self-efficacy was assessed using the Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES), which measures confidence in the ability to cope with stressful situations. Changes were evaluated by comparing post-intervention and follow-up scores to baseline.

  3. Change From Baseline in Resilience as Measured by the Resilience Scale (RS-NL)

    Time frame: From baseline to pre-intervention (week 4), to post-intervention (week 8) and 4-week follow-up (week 12).

    Resilience was assessed using the Dutch version of the Resilience Scale (RS-NL), which measures personal competence and acceptance of self and life. Change in resilience was evaluated by comparing post-intervention and follow-up scores to baseline.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

GGZ Centraal

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Effects of a Stress Management App on Enhancing Insight and Coping With Daily Stress in Adults With Borderline Personality Disorder Traits

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Mar 11, 2026
Registry last updated
Mar 11, 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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