Recruiting

Digital Training ProgramSTEPS - Stress Training and Engagement Via Phone-Based Systems

Sponsor:

Equa Health

Code:

NCT07639697

Conditions

Psychological Distress

Mindfulness Skills

Usability Satisfaction

Program Engagement

Loneliness

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 30

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Equa

Feature-Enhanced Equa Training Program

Stress Management Training

Study Details

Brief summary:

This study will evaluate engagement, usability, and psychological outcomes associated with participation in smartphone-based stress management or mindfulness training program among young adults. The study will compare multiple versions of a digital training program delivered through the Equa mobile application.

Participants will be individually randomized to one of several app-based training programs using a stratified randomization procedure. Each program consists of guided daily lessons completed over a 14-day period and is designed to support stress management and well-being through structured skill development activities.

Primary objectives include evaluating user satisfaction and usability of the digital platform and assessing changes in mindfulness-related skills and mental distress over time.

Participants will:

Complete surveys assessing demographics and psychological well-being at baseline, post-intervention, and one-month follow-up.

Complete a 14-day smartphone-delivered training program consisting of guided lessons while physiological data are collected using wearable sensors.

Some participants may receive additional in-app features designed to support personalized learning or engagement with training lessons.

Some participants will complete brief questionnaires before and after selected lessons to assess short-term changes associated with lesson participation.

Conditions

Psychological Distress

Mindfulness Skills

Usability Satisfaction

Program Engagement

Loneliness

Study ID

NCT07639697

Start date

Jun 17, 2026

Status verified date

Jul, 2026

Completion date

Jul, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jul, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 30

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

Ages 18-30 years of Age
Fluent in English
Psychological distress
Interested in completing smartphone guided training sessions remotely for 14 days
Willing and able to wear physiological monitoring equipment
Willing to be randomized to one of three conditions
Located in the United States
Access to a smartphone without snapdragon processors to complete guided training sessions

Exclusion Criteria:

Currently pregnant
Current or previous diagnosis with psychosis or schizophrenia

Study Design

Enrollment

300 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Feature-Enhanced Equa Training

Participants will complete a 14-day smartphone-delivered training program consisting of guided lessons through the Equa application. During lesson participation, physiological data will be collected using smartphone sensors to characterize participant responses during training activities. Participants assigned to this program version will receive additional in-app features designed to provide personalized information related to lesson engagement or training progress following lesson completion.

active comparator: Standard Equa Training Program

Participants will complete a 14-day smartphone-delivered training program consisting of guided lessons delivered through the Equa application. During lesson participation, physiological data will be collected using smartphone sensors to characterize participant responses during training activities. This program version provides the standard lesson experience within the application without additional personalized feedback features following lesson completion.

active comparator: Stress Management Training Program

Participants will complete a 14-day smartphone-delivered training program focused on stress management and well-being skill development delivered through the Equa application. Lessons emphasize the development of evidence-informed coping skills, including thoughtful reflection, cognitive reappraisal of stressful experiences, and structured problem-solving strategies aimed at supporting adaptive responses to everyday stressors. Guided lessons are delivered through the same application interface and include comparable levels of interactivity and engagement activities as other study programs.

Interventions

Equa

Participants will be randomly assigned to a 14-unit smartphone meditation program group that involves completing a 2-10 minute daily guided practice on their phones. Participants complete 14 units of mindfulness meditation curriculum that consists of learning and practicing techniques to improve concentration, sensory clarity, and equanimity (Equa meditation app). Physiological measures will be tracked throughout the duration of lessons.

Feature-Enhanced Equa Training Program

Participants will be randomly assigned to complete a 14-unit smartphone-delivered guided training program consisting of brief daily lessons lasting approximately 2-10 minutes. Lessons are delivered through the Equa mobile application and focus on the development and practice of mindfulness skills designed to support concentration, awareness, and emotional well-being. Physiological data will be collected during lesson participation using smartphone sensors to characterize participant responses during guided activities. This program version includes additional in-app features designed to provide personalized visual information following lesson completion.

Stress Management Training

The CC program, called R\&R, is a well matched and previously validated digital stress management training. R\&R program lessons will focus on the development of three coping effectiveness skills: (a) thoughtful reflection; (b) reappraisal and reframing past and anticipated stressful events; and (c) problem solving, such as analyzing and solving personal problems.

Primary outcome measure

Equa Program Engagement [ Time Frame: Throughout the 21 day training period ]
Symptoms of Depression [ Time Frame: From baseline to 6 weeks after (1-month follow-up) ]
Loneliness [ Time Frame: From baseline to 6 weeks after (1-month follow-up) ]
Anxiety [ Time Frame: From baseline to 6 weeks after (1-month follow-up) ]
Perceived Stress [ Time Frame: From baseline to 6 weeks after (1-month follow-up) ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Juliette A Bonchonsky, BA

4125333601 juliette@equahealth.io

David Creswell, Ph.D.

4125353338 david@equahealth.io

Locations

4615 Forbes Ave

Recruiting

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15213

Contacts

Juliette Bonchonsky, B.A.

4125333601 juliette@equahealth.io

David Creswell, PhD

4125353338 david@equahealth.io

More Information

Sponsor

Equa Health

Last update posted

Jul 20, 2026

Last verified

Jul, 2026

Keywords

young adults
mental health
well-being
mindfulness skills
psychological distress
stress management

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Equa Health on 2026-07-20.