Effectiveness of attachment-based compassion therapy to reduce psychological distress in university students: a randomised controlled trial protocol
IntroductionHigher education, particularly university, is a challenge for many students that can lead to their mental health being seriously affected. The stress to which they are subject throughout their time at university can lead to anxiety and depression. “Third wave” psychotherapies, including...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1185445/full |
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| author | María Beltrán-Ruiz María Beltrán-Ruiz Selene Fernández Javier García-Campayo Javier García-Campayo Javier García-Campayo Marta Puebla-Guedea Marta Puebla-Guedea Yolanda López-del-Hoyo Yolanda López-del-Hoyo Yolanda López-del-Hoyo Mayte Navarro-Gil Mayte Navarro-Gil Jesus Montero-Marin Jesus Montero-Marin Jesus Montero-Marin |
| author_facet | María Beltrán-Ruiz María Beltrán-Ruiz Selene Fernández Javier García-Campayo Javier García-Campayo Javier García-Campayo Marta Puebla-Guedea Marta Puebla-Guedea Yolanda López-del-Hoyo Yolanda López-del-Hoyo Yolanda López-del-Hoyo Mayte Navarro-Gil Mayte Navarro-Gil Jesus Montero-Marin Jesus Montero-Marin Jesus Montero-Marin |
| author_sort | María Beltrán-Ruiz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionHigher education, particularly university, is a challenge for many students that can lead to their mental health being seriously affected. The stress to which they are subject throughout their time at university can lead to anxiety and depression. “Third wave” psychotherapies, including compassion-based therapy, have been used to improve psychological outcomes, such as stress, anxiety, emotional distress and well-being. There are some signs that third wave psychotherapies reduce psychological distress in university students, but more and higher-quality studies are needed. In this randomised controlled trial (RCT), we hypothesise that the provision of attachment-based compassion therapy (ABCT) will be more effective than an active control group based on relaxation therapy for improving psychological distress in university students.Methods and analysisA two-arm RCT will be conducted involving 140 university undergraduate and postgraduate students from the University of Zaragoza and the National University of Distance Education (UNED) who reside in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. Interventions with either ABCT or relaxation therapy will be implemented, with an allocation ratio of 1:1 between groups. Both interventions will last six weeks and consist of six weekly group sessions lasting 1.5 h each. Data will be collected before and after the intervention, and there will be a follow-up at six months. The primary outcome will be psychological distress at post-intervention. Secondary outcomes will be depression, anxiety, stress and burnout symptoms, affectivity and emotional regulation. Attachment style, experiential avoidance, compassion (for others/oneself) and mindfulness skills will be measured as potential mechanistic variables. Intention-to-treat analysis will be performed using linear mixed regression models. The clinical significance of improvements will be calculated. Potential side effects will be monitored by an independent clinical psychologist.Ethics and disseminationThis study was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Aragón. Participant data will remain anonymous, and results will be submitted to peer-reviewed open-access journals and disseminated via conferences.Clinical Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT05197595. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:28:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-456b2786794c4148aa79694ca0bf7231 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:28:18Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-456b2786794c4148aa79694ca0bf72312023-08-25T03:44:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-08-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.11854451185445Effectiveness of attachment-based compassion therapy to reduce psychological distress in university students: a randomised controlled trial protocolMaría Beltrán-Ruiz0María Beltrán-Ruiz1Selene Fernández2Javier García-Campayo3Javier García-Campayo4Javier García-Campayo5Marta Puebla-Guedea6Marta Puebla-Guedea7Yolanda López-del-Hoyo8Yolanda López-del-Hoyo9Yolanda López-del-Hoyo10Mayte Navarro-Gil11Mayte Navarro-Gil12Jesus Montero-Marin13Jesus Montero-Marin14Jesus Montero-Marin15Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, SpainResearch Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Zaragoza, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, SpainResearch Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Zaragoza, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, SpainAragonese Institute of Health Research, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, SpainDepartment of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, SpainResearch Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Zaragoza, SpainDepartment of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, SpainResearch Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Zaragoza, SpainAragonese Institute of Health Research, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, SpainDepartment of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, SpainResearch Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Zaragoza, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United KingdomTeaching, Research & Innovation Unit, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Sant Boi de Llobregat, SpainConsortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, SpainIntroductionHigher education, particularly university, is a challenge for many students that can lead to their mental health being seriously affected. The stress to which they are subject throughout their time at university can lead to anxiety and depression. “Third wave” psychotherapies, including compassion-based therapy, have been used to improve psychological outcomes, such as stress, anxiety, emotional distress and well-being. There are some signs that third wave psychotherapies reduce psychological distress in university students, but more and higher-quality studies are needed. In this randomised controlled trial (RCT), we hypothesise that the provision of attachment-based compassion therapy (ABCT) will be more effective than an active control group based on relaxation therapy for improving psychological distress in university students.Methods and analysisA two-arm RCT will be conducted involving 140 university undergraduate and postgraduate students from the University of Zaragoza and the National University of Distance Education (UNED) who reside in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. Interventions with either ABCT or relaxation therapy will be implemented, with an allocation ratio of 1:1 between groups. Both interventions will last six weeks and consist of six weekly group sessions lasting 1.5 h each. Data will be collected before and after the intervention, and there will be a follow-up at six months. The primary outcome will be psychological distress at post-intervention. Secondary outcomes will be depression, anxiety, stress and burnout symptoms, affectivity and emotional regulation. Attachment style, experiential avoidance, compassion (for others/oneself) and mindfulness skills will be measured as potential mechanistic variables. Intention-to-treat analysis will be performed using linear mixed regression models. The clinical significance of improvements will be calculated. Potential side effects will be monitored by an independent clinical psychologist.Ethics and disseminationThis study was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Aragón. Participant data will remain anonymous, and results will be submitted to peer-reviewed open-access journals and disseminated via conferences.Clinical Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT05197595.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1185445/fulluniversity studentspsychological distresscompassionattachmentmindfulness |
| spellingShingle | María Beltrán-Ruiz María Beltrán-Ruiz Selene Fernández Javier García-Campayo Javier García-Campayo Javier García-Campayo Marta Puebla-Guedea Marta Puebla-Guedea Yolanda López-del-Hoyo Yolanda López-del-Hoyo Yolanda López-del-Hoyo Mayte Navarro-Gil Mayte Navarro-Gil Jesus Montero-Marin Jesus Montero-Marin Jesus Montero-Marin Effectiveness of attachment-based compassion therapy to reduce psychological distress in university students: a randomised controlled trial protocol Frontiers in Psychology university students psychological distress compassion attachment mindfulness |
| title | Effectiveness of attachment-based compassion therapy to reduce psychological distress in university students: a randomised controlled trial protocol |
| title_full | Effectiveness of attachment-based compassion therapy to reduce psychological distress in university students: a randomised controlled trial protocol |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness of attachment-based compassion therapy to reduce psychological distress in university students: a randomised controlled trial protocol |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness of attachment-based compassion therapy to reduce psychological distress in university students: a randomised controlled trial protocol |
| title_short | Effectiveness of attachment-based compassion therapy to reduce psychological distress in university students: a randomised controlled trial protocol |
| title_sort | effectiveness of attachment based compassion therapy to reduce psychological distress in university students a randomised controlled trial protocol |
| topic | university students psychological distress compassion attachment mindfulness |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1185445/full |
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