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NCT Number: NCT07188467

Testing Adapted Self-Help Plus (SH+) for Stress and Well-Being in International Students at a U.S. University

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if an adapted version of Self-Help Plus (SH+), a stress management program developed by the World Health Organization, can reduce stress and improve well-being in international students at a U.S. university. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does SH+ reduce perceived stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in international students? Does SH+ improve feelings of social support, self-efficacy, and adjustment in a new cultural environment?

Participants will:

Attend a two-day in-person workshop that includes animated videos, interactive activities, and group discussions.

Complete three surveys (before the workshop, right after, and six weeks later) about stress, mood, and well-being.

Optionally, take part in a short interview to share feedback about their experience.

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Key information

Conditions

Stress, Psychological Adjustment, Psychological Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Depression and/or Anxiety in the Mild-to-moderate Range Loneliness

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

The New School

Brooklyn, New York, 10011, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Adam D. Brown, PhD

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Josheka Chauhan

CONTACT

[email protected]

3473072179

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Enrolled as an international student at The New School
  • Age 18 years or older
  • Willing to provide informed consent and complete study assessments
  • Score of ≥3 on the PHQ-4, indicating at least mild distress
  • Sufficient English proficiency to comprehend intervention materials

Exclusion criteria

  • Severe psychiatric conditions requiring immediate intervention (e.g., active psychosis, severe mood disorders)
  • Visual, hearing, or neurocognitive impairments that prevent engagement with the intervention
  • Having an advanced degree in psychology or mental health-related fields (to prevent prior knowledge bias)
  • Score of 2 or higher on PHQ-4 Item 3 or Item 4 (frequent thoughts of self-harm or severe distress)

Treatment and study plan

Digitized SH+

Behavioral

Digitized SH+ is a group-based, stress management program (adapted from the original Self-Help Plus intervention developed by the World Health Organization), that utilizes animated videos and group discussions to teach participants skills such as Grounding, Unhooking (from difficult thoughts), Being Kind (to self and others), Identifying Values, and Making Room for Difficult Thoughts and Feelings.

Primary outcomes

  1. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10)

    Time frame: Change from baseline to 6-week follow-up

    Self-reported perceived stress levels. Higher scores indicate greater perceived stress.

    Range: 0-40 Higher scores= worse outcome (greater perceived stress) Cutoffs: 0-13 low, 14-26 moderate, 27-40 high

  2. Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)

    Time frame: Change from baseline to 6-week follow-up

    Range: 0-27 Higher scores = worse outcome (greater depression severity). Cutoffs: 1-4 minimal, 5-9 mild, 10-14 moderate, 15-19 moderately severe, 20-27 severe.

  3. General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7)

    Time frame: Change from baseline to 6-week follow-up

    Range: 0-21 Higher scores = worse outcome (greater anxiety severity) Cutoffs: 0-4 minimal, 5-9 mild, 10-14 moderate, 15-21 severe

Secondary outcomes

  1. Self-Measure for Loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale)

    Time frame: Change from baseline to 6-week follow-up

    Range: 0-60 (20 items, scored 0-3) Higher scores = worse outcome (greater loneliness/social isolation).

  2. Social Support (SSQ)

    Time frame: Change from baseline to 6-week follow-up

    Range varies (depends on individual): self-reported number of people available for support + satisfaction rating).

    Higher scores = better outcome (greater perceived support and satisfaction).

  3. Self-Efficacy (General Self-Efficacy Scale)

    Time frame: Change from baseline to 6-week follow-up

    Range: 10-40 (10 items, scored 1-4). Higher scores = better outcome (greater self-efficacy/confidence in coping).

  4. Psychological Adjustment (BASE-6)

    Time frame: Change from baseline to 6-week follow-up

    Range: 6-42 (six items, each scored 1-7). Higher scores = worse outcome (greater emotional distress and adjustment difficulty).

Study contacts

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

Josheka S Chauhan, MA

CONTACT

[email protected]

347-307-2179

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

The New School

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Implementing a Scalable Mental Health Intervention for International Students: A Pilot Study of Digitized Self-Help Plus

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2026
First posted
Sep 23, 2025
Registry last updated
Oct 9, 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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