Skill, Will, and Time: A Feasibility and Pilot Efficacy Study of Two Structured Interventions to Enhance Undergraduates’ Resilience Through Self-Regulation

Abstract

The current study had two purposes: (1) to examine the feasibility and acceptability of two manualized intervention programs to enhance resilience through the mechanism of self-regulation in undergraduate students enrolled in Introductory Psychology, and (2) to examine preliminary efficacy of those interventions. Eligible participants were 445 undergraduates aged 18–25 years at a mid-size Canadian university during spring 2020, quasi-randomized to one of two 4-week self-regulation interventions taught via labs, focused on either “top-down” or “bottom-up” aspects of self-regulation, respectively. A total of N = 445 students provided data in the study, with 133 participants in interventions and 312 in the control group. Qualitative data indicated that the interventions were feasible and acceptable. Self-report measures of attention control, resilience, affect, and interoception, as well as exam scores, indicate dissociable effects for the two intervention conditions. As student mental health becomes an increasing concern, enhancing students’ well-being through primary prevention may prove to be a vital intervention focus.