Trials (Sep 2024)

Promoting mental health and wellbeing among post-secondary students with the JoyPop™ app: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

  • Angela MacIsaac,
  • Vamika Mann,
  • Elaine Toombs,
  • Fred Schmidt,
  • Janine V. Olthuis,
  • Sherry H. Stewart,
  • Amanda Newton,
  • Arto Ohinmaa,
  • Aislin R. Mushquash

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-024-08424-y
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 25, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Abstract Background Technology use may be one strategy to promote mental health and wellbeing among young adults in post-secondary education settings experiencing increasing distress and mental health difficulties. The JoyPop™ app is mobile mental health tool with a growing evidence base. The objectives of this research are to (1) evaluate the effectiveness of the JoyPop™ app in improving emotion regulation skills (primary outcome), as well as mental health, wellbeing, and resilience (secondary outcomes); (2) evaluate sustained app use once users are no longer reminded and determine whether sustained use is associated with maintained improvements in primary and secondary outcomes; (3) determine whether those in the intervention condition have lower mental health service usage and associated costs compared to those in the control condition; and (4) assess users’ perspectives on the quality of the JoyPop™ app. Methods A pragmatic, parallel arm randomized controlled trial will be used. Participants will be randomly allocated using stratified block randomization in a 1:1 ratio to the intervention (JoyPop™) or control (no intervention) condition. Participants allocated to the intervention condition will be asked to use the JoyPop™ app at least twice daily for 4 weeks. Participants will complete outcome measures at four assessment time-points (first [baseline], second [after 2 weeks], third [after 4 weeks], fourth [after 8 weeks; follow-up]). Participants in the control condition will be offered access to the app after the fourth assessment time-point. Discussion Results will determine the effectiveness of the JoyPop™ app for promoting mental health and wellbeing among post-secondary students. If effective, this may encourage more widespread adoption of the JoyPop™ app by post-secondary institutions as part of their response to student mental health needs. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06154369 . Registered on November 23, 2023.

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