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PERMA-based mobile psychological intervention with and without telephone support for university students: study
Vanessa Blanco1, Fataneh Sinaeipour2, Queila Bouza2
1Department of Evolutionary and Educational Psychology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Background:
University students face increasing academic, developmental, and psychosocial demands that place them at risk of reduced psychological well-being. Although positive psychology interventions have shown promising effects in this population, accessibility to them is limited. This barrier can be overcome by employing new technologies. However, none of the existing interventions that used ICT in this population was based on Seligman´s PERMA model, and they report low adherence rates. Complementing mobile-based interventions with brief telephone support may improve engagement and enhance outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a positive psychology-based psychological intervention grounded in the PERMA model delivered via a smartphone app, incorporating cognitive-behavioral self-regulation strategies (e.g., goal setting, self-monitoring, behavioral activation), with or without telephone multiconference support.
Methods:
A three-arm randomized controlled trial will be conducted with 177 university students, who will be assigned to: (a) an app-based PERMA intervention (PPIA), (b) the same intervention supplemented with weekly 30-minute telephone multiconference sessions (PPIA+M), or (c) a waiting list control group (WLCG). The intervention consists of five weekly modules targeting Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and six-month follow-up. The primary outcome will be psychological well-being, measured with the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS) and the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF). Secondary outcomes include positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, accomplishment, adherence, and satisfaction. Evaluations will be administered by independent, blinded assessors.
Discussion:
This study will provide evidence on the efficacy and acceptability of a brief PERMA-based digital intervention for university students. If effective, the program may represent a scalable and cost-efficient tool for promoting psychological well-being in higher education settings.
Study Protocol Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier (NCT07466004).
