RecruitingInterventional

Testing online, self-help single session interventions for UK young people with low mood: the Unlock Wellbeing trial

The 'Unlock Wellbeing' study explores whether short online activities can help UK young people aged 13-18 who are feeling low or stressed. These activities, called single-session interventions, have been developed in the USA and this study wants to see how they work for young people in the UK. If you take part, you'll answer questions about how you're feeling, complete one of these online activities, and then answer more questions later to see if it helped. It's all done online and you won't need to speak to anyone. By joining, you could help researchers learn new ways to support other young people with their mental health.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

University of Bath

Enrolment target

470

Start

04 Mar 2026

Estimated completion

01 Mar 2027

Elevated depressive symptoms

What is this study about?

Many young people have told us they struggle with low mood, stress, and worry. This study, called 'Unlock Wellbeing', wants to find out if short, online activities can help. These activities are designed to be done just once and are called 'single-session interventions'. Imagine them as a mini-course or online programme that teaches you ways to understand and cope with your feelings.

We're testing three different online activities that have been used successfully in the USA. We want to see how well they work for young people here in the UK. By joining this study, you would help us understand if these online tools can genuinely make a difference in how young people think and feel, and if they can help them cope better with daily challenges.

The study is completely online, so you can take part from the comfort of your home. Everything is confidential, and you won't need to talk to anyone directly. Your participation could lead to new and better ways to support young people's mental health in the future.

Key takeaways

It's an online study for UK young people aged 13-18.
It tests short online activities to help with low mood, stress, and worry.
Participation involves answering questions and completing an online activity.
It's entirely online, no need to speak to anyone.
You could receive shopping vouchers for completing surveys.
Your involvement helps research into youth mental health support.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for young people who live in the UK and are between 13 and 18 years old. You should have some feelings of low mood or sadness, even if it's just a little bit. We use a short questionnaire to check this. You'll also need to be able to understand English and have access to the internet to take part.

There are a few reasons why you might not be able to join. For example, if you're experiencing very severe feelings of wanting to harm yourself, this study might not be the right support for you right now, and we would encourage you to seek immediate help from a doctor or mental health professional instead. We also have checks in place to make sure that real people are taking part and not automated computer programmes.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you between 13 and 18 years old?
Do you live in the UK?
Do you sometimes feel low or sad?
Do you have a working internet connection?
Can you understand English well enough to follow online instructions?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part, the study is split into four main parts, all done online at your own pace.

First, you'll answer some questions about yourself and how you've been feeling, including your mood and worries. This part takes about 10-15 minutes. Next, you'll complete one of the short online activities, which will be chosen randomly. This involves reading or listening to information about dealing with low mood, stress, or worry, and usually takes about 15-20 minutes. After that, you'll answer a few more questions (about 5 minutes) about how you found the activity and your feelings.

Finally, we'll ask you to fill out two more short surveys by email – one month and six months later – to see if the activity had a lasting effect. The total time spent will be about 30-40 minutes initially, with two short follow-up surveys for the next six months. You can stop or take a break at any time during the study.

Potential risks and benefits

It's important to know we can't promise this study will directly improve your mood. However, the online activity you try might introduce you to new ways of managing your thoughts and feelings. By taking part, you'll be helping researchers understand how to better support other young people with their mental health in the future. As a thank you, you could receive a £10 shopping voucher after the 1-month survey and another £5 voucher after the 6-month survey. A small risk is that answering personal questions might sometimes make you feel a bit uncomfortable or sad, but you can skip any question you don't want to answer, and you can stop taking part at any time without giving a reason.

Locations (1)

University of Bath
Approximate
Bath, England

Common questions

How long will the study take in total?

The main part of the study takes about 30-40 minutes initially, then two short follow-up surveys are sent at 1 month and 6 months.

Do I need to talk to anyone during the study?

No, the study is entirely online, and you will not need to talk to anybody.

What if I feel uncomfortable answering a question?

You can skip most questions you don't want to answer, and you can stop the study at any time.

Will I get paid for taking part?

You can receive a £10 shopping voucher after completing the 1-month survey and a £5 voucher after the 6-month survey.

Who is running this study?

This study is being run by the University of Bath in the UK.

How to find out more

Maria Loades

mel26@bath.ac.uk +44 01225385249 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.