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Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Effects of the COPE Online Cognitive‐Behavioral Skill‐Building Program on Mental Health Outcomes and Academic Performance in Freshmen College Students: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study
Author(s) -
Melnyk Bernadette Mazurek,
Amaya Megan,
Szalacha Laura A.,
Hoying Jacqueline,
Taylor Tiffany,
Bowersox Kristen
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of child and adolescent psychiatric nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.331
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1744-6171
pISSN - 1073-6077
DOI - 10.1111/jcap.12119
Subject(s) - anxiety , mental health , randomized controlled trial , intervention (counseling) , session (web analytics) , psychology , clinical psychology , cognition , empowerment , medicine , psychiatry , surgery , world wide web , computer science , political science , law
Problem Despite the increasing prevalence of mental health disorders in university students, few receive needed evidence‐based treatment. Objective The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and preliminary effects of a seven‐session online cognitive‐behavioral skill‐building intervention (i.e., COPE , Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment) versus a comparison group on their anxiety, depressive symptoms, and grade performance. Methods A randomized controlled pilot study was conducted from S eptember 2012 to M ay 2013 with 121 college freshmen enrolled in a required one credit survey course. Findings Although there were no significant differences in anxiety and depressive symptoms between the groups, only COPE students with an elevated level of anxiety at baseline had a significant decline in symptoms. Grade point average was higher in COPE versus comparison students. Evaluations indicated that COPE was a positive experience for students. Conclusions COPE is a promising brief intervention that can be integrated effectively into a required freshman course.