Evaluating a Single-Session Intervention for Loneliness
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
The goal of this study is to examine the efficacy of an online single-session intervention (SSI) for loneliness.
It aims to answer is if a 20-30 minute online SSI based on an evidence-based internet cognitive behavioral therapy can reduce feelings of loneliness among lonely people.
type of study: clinical trial
participant population/health conditions: English-speakers aged 16 and older with access to internet and a computer, smartphone, or tablet who meet our criteria for struggling with loneliness.
Researchers will compare a 30-minute digital loneliness SSI to a 3-week loneliness digital mental health intervention (DMHI) and a control SSI in their efficacy in reducing loneliness.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Detailed Description
Severe loneliness is globally prevalent and is strongly associated with impaired mental and physical well-being, making it a significant public health issue (J. T. Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018b). Evidence-based interventions for loneliness reach a small subset of people who might benefit from them (Hickin et al., 2021; Masi et al., 2011), so identifying new strategies for addressing loneliness at scale should be a high priority. Online single-session interventions (SSIs) have demonstrated particular promise to offer efficient and highly-scalable support to diverse populations.
The study will test if an internet-mediated self-guided SSI can produce lasting improvements in loneliness. The investigators adapted a 9-week online loneliness intervention (Käll, 2021) into a 3-week version and a 30-minute SSI version. The investigators will randomly assign participants to complete the 3-week version, the SSI version, or a control SSI.
The investigators will collect self-report measures at baseline, directly after the intervention, and 4 and 8 weeks after baseline (see attached table for timing of measures). The investigators will also measure participant engagement with the intervention using self-report and behavioral measures. The investigators will recruit teens and adults (16+) for the study via social media.
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Active Comparator: 3-week Loneliness Program The second and third sessions are completed in the second and third week, respectively, after beginning the study. |
Behavioral: Overcoming Loneliness three-week intervention
A self-guided online loneliness intervention with three 10-20 minute sessions. The intervention content draws heavily from Anton Käll et al.'s Internet Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Loneliness and follows the form of Jessica Schleider et al.'s single-session mental health interventions.
|
| Experimental: Single-session loneliness program
|
Behavioral: Overcoming Loneliness single-session intervention
The Overcoming Loneliness Three-Week Intervention condensed into a single-session intervention lasting 20-30 minutes.
|
| Active Comparator: Single-session active control program
|
Behavioral: Single-session "Sharing Feelings" program
A self-guided online supportive therapy intervention with a single 20-30 minute session intended to encourage users to share feelings with close others. Slightly modified from Jessica Schleider et al.'s "Sharing Feelings" intervention
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Change in UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3 at 8 weeks [Baseline, 8-week follow-up]
A 20-item measure of trait loneliness
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Change in UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3 at 4 weeks [Baseline, 4-week follow-up]
A 20-item measure of trait loneliness
- Change in Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale - 9-item at 8 weeks [Baseline, 8-week follow-up]
A brief scale with subscales measuring depression, anxiety, and stress
- Change in Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale - 9-item at 4 weeks [Baseline, 4-week follow-up]
A brief scale with subscales measuring depression, anxiety, and stress
- Change in 3-item Mini Social Phobia Inventory at 8 weeks [Baseline, 8-week follow-up]
A brief measure of social anxiety
- Change in 3-item Mini Social Phobia Inventory at 4 weeks [Baseline, 4-week follow-up]
A brief measure of social anxiety
- Change in Short form of the General Self-Efficacy Scale at 8 weeks [Baseline, 8-week follow-up]
A 6-item measure of general self-efficacy
- Change in Short form of the General Self-Efficacy Scale at 4 weeks [Baseline, 4-week follow-up]
A 6-item measure of general self-efficacy
- Change in Short form of the General Self-Efficacy Scale immediately post-intervention [Baseline, immediately post-intervention (roughly 30 minutes after beginning study for single-session conditions, and roughly 2 weeks after beginning study for 3-week iCBT condition)]
A 6-item measure of general self-efficacy
- Change in Beck Hopelessness Scale - 4-item at 8 weeks [Baseline, 8-week follow-up]
A brief version of a hopelessness measure
- Change in Beck Hopelessness Scale - 4-item at 4 weeks [Baseline, 4-week follow-up]
A brief version of a hopelessness measure
- Change in Beck Hopelessness Scale - 4-item immediately post-intervention [Baseline, immediately post-intervention (roughly 30 minutes after beginning study for single-session conditions, and roughly 2 weeks after beginning study for 3-week iCBT condition)]
A brief version of a hopelessness measure
- Change in Frequency of actions and thoughts scale at 8 weeks [Baseline, 8-week follow-up]
A 12-item measure of adaptive thoughts and behaviors, improvement in which might be a target of cognitive behavioral therapy
- Change in Frequency of actions and thoughts scale at 4 weeks [Baseline, 4-week follow-up]
A 12-item measure of adaptive thoughts and behaviors, improvement in which might be a target of cognitive behavioral therapy
- Program Feedback Scale [immediately post-intervention (roughly 30 minutes after beginning study for single-session conditions, and roughly 2 weeks after beginning study for 3-week iCBT condition)]
A 7-item measure of engagement with and acceptability of SSIs
- Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire [immediately post-intervention (roughly 30 minutes after beginning study for single-session conditions, and roughly 2 weeks after beginning study for 3-week iCBT condition)]
A 4-item measure of user-perceived intervention appeal and efficacy
- Insight experience [immediately post-intervention (roughly 30 minutes after beginning study for single-session conditions, and roughly 2 weeks after beginning study for 3-week iCBT condition)]
A 1-item measure of whether one experienced an insight moment as a result of the program
- Star rating [immediately post-intervention (roughly 30 minutes after beginning study for single-session conditions, and roughly 2 weeks after beginning study for 3-week iCBT condition)]
A rating of program quality, from 1-5 stars
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
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Be fluent in English
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Be 16 years old +
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Have internet access and a computer, smartphone, or tablet
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To be paid for participation, must meet our criteria for "struggling with loneliness" (ie, a score on the 3-item loneliness screen of at least 6, and indicating that one's loneliness is causing one distress). Otherwise, participants can still participate in the study on a volunteer basis.
Exclusion Criteria:
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Having completed the study in the past
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Failing both of the attention checks in the baseline measures.
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Spending less than 2 minutes completing the study introduction and baseline measures (ie, were very likely bots)
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Indicating, at the end of the study, that one did not complete the study seriously and that one's data should not be included in analyses.
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Online (based at UC Irvine) | Irvine | California | United States | 92697 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- University of California, Irvine
- Jacobs Foundation
Investigators
None specified.Study Documents (Full-Text)
More Information
Publications
- Cacioppo JT, Cacioppo S. The growing problem of loneliness. Lancet. 2018 Feb 3;391(10119):426. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30142-9. No abstract available.
- Hickin N, Kall A, Shafran R, Sutcliffe S, Manzotti G, Langan D. The effectiveness of psychological interventions for loneliness: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Psychol Rev. 2021 Aug;88:102066. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2021.102066. Epub 2021 Jul 18.
- Kall A, Backlund U, Shafran R, Andersson G. Lonesome no more? A two-year follow-up of internet-administered cognitive behavioral therapy for loneliness. Internet Interv. 2020 Jan 17;19:100301. doi: 10.1016/j.invent.2019.100301. eCollection 2020 Mar.
- Masi CM, Chen HY, Hawkley LC, Cacioppo JT. A meta-analysis of interventions to reduce loneliness. Pers Soc Psychol Rev. 2011 Aug;15(3):219-66. doi: 10.1177/1088868310377394. Epub 2010 Aug 17.
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