This study delivered an adventure-based cognitive behavioral intervention program to a group of Hong Kong university students. The program effectiveness was evaluated by a randomized controlled trial in reducing psychological distress and improving mental health of these students. The 3-month maintenance effect was also tested.
University students are vulnerable to mental health problems due to the various challenges they have to face in university life. However, few studies have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of university counseling programs in Hong Kong. This project aims at developing and systematically evaluating a culturally adapted and adventure-based cognitive behavioral intervention (aCBI) program to decrease psychological distress and improve various mental health outcomes for Chinese university students in Hong Kong. The aCBI program was delivered in a form of general education course in a university setting. Randomized controlled trial (RCT) design was adopted. The program was evaluated its effectiveness in reducing psychological distress, perceived stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms, negative thoughts and negative emotions and increasing positive thoughts and positive emotions.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
458
The adventure-based cognitive behavioral intervention is a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and adventure training. The intervention program is delivered in a 39-hour general education course entailed "Improving Mental Health for University Success" in a public university in Hong Kong. The program includes 6 lectures, 5 workshops, 5 adventure games and an adventure day camp. Students are divided into two groups in workshop to practise CBT skills to deal with their own issues.
Jiayan Pan
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
General Health Questionnaire-12
12-item rating scale for psychological distress, scale score ranges from 0-12, with a higher score indicating a higher level of psychological distress
Time frame: baseline: before the intervention program starts
General Health Questionnaire-12
12-item rating scale for psychological distress, scale score ranges from 0-12, with a higher score indicating a higher level of psychological distress
Time frame: post-test: 1 month upon completion of the intervention program
General Health Questionnaire-12
12-item rating scale for psychological distress, scale score ranges from 0-12, with a higher score indicating a higher level of psychological distress
Time frame: 3-month follow-up test: 3 months after completion of the intervention program
Perceived Stress Scale
10-item rating scale for perceived stress, scale score ranges from 0-4, with a higher score indicating a higher level of perceived stress
Time frame: baseline: before the intervention program starts
Perceived Stress Scale
10-item rating scale for perceived stress, scale score ranges from 0-4, with a higher score indicating a higher level of perceived stress
Time frame: post-test: 1 month upon completion of the intervention program
Perceived Stress Scale
10-item rating scale for perceived stress, scale score ranges from 0-4, with a higher score indicating a higher level of perceived stress
Time frame: 3-month follow-up test: 3 months after completion of the intervention program
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Beck Depression Inventory
21-item rating scale for depressive symptoms, scale score ranges from 0-63, with a higher score indicating a higher level of depressive symptoms
Time frame: baseline: before the intervention program starts
Beck Depression Inventory
21-item rating scale for depressive symptoms, scale score ranges from 0-63, with a higher score indicating a higher level of depressive symptoms
Time frame: post-test: 1 month upon completion of the intervention program
Beck Depression Inventory
21-item rating scale for depressive symptoms, scale score ranges from 0-63, with a higher score indicating a higher level of depressive symptoms
Time frame: 3-month follow-up test: 3 months after completion of the intervention program
Beck Anxiety Inventory
21-item rating scale for anxiety symptoms, scale score ranges from 0-63, with a higher score indicating a higher level of anxiety symptoms
Time frame: baseline: before the intervention program starts
Beck Anxiety Inventory
21-item rating scale for anxiety symptoms, scale score ranges from 0-63, with a higher score indicating a higher level of anxiety symptoms
Time frame: post-test: 1 month upon completion of the intervention program
Beck Anxiety Inventory
21-item rating scale for anxiety symptoms, scale score ranges from 0-63, with a higher score indicating a higher level of anxiety symptoms
Time frame: 3-month follow-up test: 3 months after completion of the intervention program
Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire
14-item rating scale for positive and negative automatic thoughts, score ranges from 1-5 for the positive thought subscale and negative thought subscale, with a higher score indicating a higher level of positive/negative thought.
Time frame: baseline: before the intervention program starts
Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire
14-item rating scale for positive and negative automatic thoughts, score ranges from 1-5 for the positive thought subscale and negative thought subscale, with a higher score indicating a higher level of positive/negative thought.
Time frame: post-test: 1 month upon completion of the intervention program
Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire
14-item rating scale for positive and negative automatic thoughts, score ranges from 1-5 for the positive thought subscale and negative thought subscale, with a higher score indicating a higher level of positive/negative thought.
Time frame: 3-month follow-up test: 3 months after completion of the intervention program
Chinese Affect Scale
20-item rating scale for positive and negative emotions, score ranges from 1-6 for positive emotion subscale and negative emotion subscale, with a higher score indicating a higher level of positive/negative emotion
Time frame: baseline: before the intervention program starts
Chinese Affect Scale
20-item rating scale for positive and negative emotions, score ranges from 1-6 for positive emotion subscale and negative emotion subscale, with a higher score indicating a higher level of positive/negative emotion
Time frame: post-test: 1 month upon completion of the intervention program
Chinese Affect Scale
20-item rating scale for positive and negative emotions, score ranges from 1-6 for positive emotion subscale and negative emotion subscale, with a higher score indicating a higher level of positive/negative emotion
Time frame: 3-month follow-up test: 3 months after completion of the intervention program
Chinese Making Sense of Adversity Scale
12-item rating scale for measuring sense-making coping, score ranges from "1" = "totally disagree" to "6" = "totally agree", with a higher score indicating a higher level of sense-making coping.
Time frame: baseline: before the intervention program starts
Chinese Making Sense of Adversity Scale
12-item rating scale for measuring sense-making coping, score ranges from "1" = "totally disagree" to "6" = "totally agree", with a higher score indicating a higher level of sense-making coping.
Time frame: post-test: 1 month upon completion of the intervention program
Chinese Making Sense of Adversity Scale
12-item rating scale for measuring sense-making coping, score ranges from "1" = "totally disagree" to "6" = "totally agree", with a higher score indicating a higher level of sense-making coping.
Time frame: 3-month follow-up test: 3 months after completion of the intervention program
Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale
25-item rating scale for measuring resilience, score ranges from "1" = "not true at all" to "5" = "true all the time". All the Item scores are summed up as a total score, with a higher score indicating greater resilience.
Time frame: baseline: before the intervention program starts
Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale
25-item rating scale for measuring resilience, score ranges from "1" = "not true at all" to "5" = "true all the time". All the Item scores are summed up as a total score, with a higher score indicating greater resilience.
Time frame: post-test: 1 month upon completion of the intervention program
Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale
25-item rating scale for measuring resilience, score ranges from "1" = "not true at all" to "5" = "true all the time". All the Item scores are summed up as a total score, with a higher score indicating greater resilience.
Time frame: 3-month follow-up test: 3 months after completion of the intervention program