Investigating Relationships Among Self-Efficacy, Mood, and Anxiety Using Digital Technologies: Randomized Controlled...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Digital Health
• Mental Health Interventions

Background:

• Digital tools like Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) and Ecological Momentary Interventions (EMIs) are vital in mental health research.
• Self-efficacy is a key transdiagnostic factor linked to positive mental health outcomes.
• University students often experience elevated stress, impacting their mental well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of daily mood and social contact dissatisfaction on specific self-efficacy in a training group.
• To determine the influence of baseline variables like depression on self-efficacy.
• To explore factors affecting positive and negative moods during a 7-day study period in both training and control groups.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 93 university students with elevated stress.
• Participants used EMA for daily monitoring of mood, social contact satisfaction, and self-efficacy.
• The training group (TG) received digital self-efficacy training (EMI) alongside EMA, while the control group received EMA only.

Main Results:

• Positive mood correlated with higher evening self-efficacy; higher baseline self-efficacy reduced negative mood.
• Baseline depression was linked to lower weekly self-efficacy; anxiety correlated with increased negative and decreased positive mood.
• The training group showed enhanced emotional flexibility, and social contact dissatisfaction negatively impacted mood.

Conclusions:

• Significant associations exist between mood, self-efficacy, and anxiety in stressed students.
• Improving mood may enhance digital self-efficacy training effectiveness.
• One-week digital self-efficacy training increased emotional flexibility, warranting further research in diverse populations.