iCBT to Promote Emotional Well-being in University and Research Communities: Feasibility and Acceptability Study

Use of an Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Platform to Carry Out an Intervention Aimed at Promoting Emotional Well-Being in the University and Research Community

This study will evaluate a brief internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) program developed specifically for university students, researchers, and academic staff.

People in academic settings often face high levels of pressure and may experience psychological difficulties such as anxiety or excessive worry. However, access to psychological support adapted to the academic context is frequently limited.

This study investigates whether a short, self-guided online iCBT program can help promote emotional well-being in this population. The program is based on cognitive behavioral therapy principles and is designed to be completed in four weeks, with brief sessions four times per week that can be accessed on any device.

Participants will complete questionnaires before and after the intervention to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of the program, as well as changes in emotional well-being.

The aim is to evaluate whether this digital intervention can serve as a useful, scalable tool to support emotional well-being in university and research environments.

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effects of a brief, self-guided internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) program-iCBT-Academia-designed specifically for the university and research community. The intervention consists of four weekly modules delivered through a digital platform, with each module including short CBT-based lessons and practical exercises tailored to the academic context.

The study will use a single-group open-label design. Based on ICBT's previous open trials (see, for example, trials NCT03457714 or NCT03946098), 25 participants should be sufficient to estimate feasibility and preliminary effects. Participants will complete self-report questionnaires assessing various aspects of emotional well-being (positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, anxiety, and depression) before and after the intervention, as well as acceptability (TAAS) and potential adverse effects (NEQ) after the intervention. Retention, compliance, and participant feedback will also be evaluated.

This project seeks to explore whether such a digital intervention is a viable and scalable tool to support emotional well-being in academic environments.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ≥ 18 years.
• Ability to read in Catalan or Spanish.
• Undergraduate or master's student, PhD student, or teaching and researching staff.

Exclusion Criteria (for the primary analysis):

• Report that they are receiving psychological treatment or have a current mental disorder diagnosis.
• High subjective well-being and minimal symptoms of anxiety and depression at baseline, defined as scoring ≥20 on the Positive Affect subscale and <10 on the Negative Affect subscale of the International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule - Short Form (I-PANAS-SF), scoring ≥26 on the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), and scoring <5 on both the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9).