Physiological, Hormonal, and DNA-based Mechanisms of Psychosocial Stress and Therapeutic Effect

Conditions studied

Well-Being, Psychological, Loneliness

About this study

The goal of this trial is to learn if the Groups 4 Health (G4H) intervention is effective in supporting student well-being at the University of Helsinki. It will also learn about the factors that may influence the efficacy of the intervention (such as facilitators characteristics, stress physiology and changes in gene expression). The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Is the G4H intervention effective and cost-effective in supporting student well-being? 2. To what extent participants' physiological, hormonal, or molecular characteristics mediate the therapeutic effect of the G4H 3. To what extent participants' genotype moderates the effect of the G4H 4. To what extent facilitators' characteristics mediate or moderate the effect of the G4H Data is collected from both the intervention participants and the facilitators. The G4H facilitators will: * Facilitate the G4H intervention. * Fill in questionnaires and provide physiological and molecular measurements before, during, and after the G4H intervention. The G4H participants will: * Participate in the G4H intervention. * Fill in questionnaires and provide physiological, hormonal and molecular measurements before, during, and after the G4H intervention.

Interventions

• Behavioral: Groups 4 health — Groups 4 Health (G4H) at the University of Helsinki is a manualized group intervention for the students that focuses on social connectedness and aims at improving general health and life satisfaction. G4H groups are facilitated by two psychology master's students (or licensed psychologists) carefully trained for the intervention and mentored by experienced clinical psychologists. G4H consists of five 90 minutes sessions that aim to give participants the knowledge and skills they need to effectively manage their social group memberships and identities. Each session contains exercises and discussions described in the G4H workbook that target different aspects of group life identified within the social identity model of identity change and put the Social Identity Approach to Health -model to practice. Students earn 2 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits for completing the intervention.

Primary outcomes

• Loneliness (1) Before the intervention, 2) During the intervention (week 3), 3) immediately after the intervention, 4) one month follow-up, 5) three months follow-up, 6) 12 months follow-up)
• Depression (1) Before the intervention, 2) immediately after the intervention 3) one month follow-up, 4) three months follow-up, 5) 12-months follow-up)
• Active group memberships (1) Before the intervention, 2) During the intervention (week 3), 3) immediately after the intervention, 4) one month follow-up, 5) three months follow-up, 6) 12-months follow-up)
• Mental well-being (1) Before the intervention, 2) immediately after the intervention 3) one month follow-up, 4) three months follow-up, 5) 12-months follow-up)
• General well-being (1) Before the intervention, 2) immediately after the intervention 3) one month follow-up, 4) three months follow-up, 5) 12-months follow-up)
• Anxiety (1) Before the intervention, 2) immediately after the intervention 3) one month follow-up, 4) three months follow-up, 5) 12-months follow-up)
• Social anxiety (1) Before the intervention, 2) immediately after the intervention 3) one month follow-up, 4) three months follow-up, 5) 12-months follow-up)

Eligibility information

Study locations

• University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Uusimaa 00014 Finland