RecruitingNot ApplicableNCT07152652

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

Sponsor

University of Helsinki

Enrollment

148 participants

Start Date

Sep 12, 2025

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Conditions

Loneliness Well-Being, Psychological

Summary

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.

Eligibility

Min Age: 18 Months

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

This research study is looking at how stress affects the body at biological levels — including hormones, physical responses, and DNA — and how therapy might help. It is being conducted at the University of Helsinki in Finland. **You may be eligible if...** - You are 18 or older - You are a student at the University of Helsinki - You can speak, read, or write in Finnish, Swedish, or English **You may NOT be eligible if...** - There are no additional exclusion criteria for this study Talk to your doctor to see if this trial is right for you.

This summary was AI-generated to explain the trial in plain language. It is not medical advice. Always discuss eligibility with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.

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Interventions

BEHAVIORALGroups 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.