Momentary Coping Prompts and Hair Steroids in College Students
Official title: REACT Biomarker and Extended-Measures Study: Hair Steroids, Psychosocial Moderators, and Momentary Reactive Behavior in College Students
Run by University of Florida · NCT07782398 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial tests whether sending brief coping prompts at moments of emotional volatility helps college students respond to emotions, while collecting hair samples to see if long-term stress hormones relate to those responses.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 24 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 80 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Florida Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Gainesville, Florida) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 21, 2026 |
| Main results expected | May 2027 |
| Study ends | December 2027 |
| Registry record updated | November 5, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07782398 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are UF students aged 18–24 who own a smartphone, are willing to wear a wrist device, and can complete frequent check-ins for about five weeks (with an optional hair sample sub-study).
✕Probably not a fit
Participants who do not experience high moment-to-moment emotional variability or do not engage with prompts may see little to no benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
REACT is a five-week micro-randomized trial with college students at UF. Participants wear a wrist device and answer multiple smartphone check-ins daily to capture momentary mood changes. In weeks two to five, the app may deliver a coping message at up to six random decision points per day when emotional variability is high, to see if the prompts influence immediate behavior. Randomization assigns prompts with a 50% probability, with safeguards like cooldowns and data quality checks. An optional hair sample subgroup examines cortisol and testosterone to explore links between chronic stress physiology and in-the-moment responses. The study uses personalized baselines and causal analysis to estimate the effect of prompts on proximal outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, prompts could inform personalized, just-in-time strategies to help students manage emotions and related behaviors.
How similar studies have gone: Similar just-in-time and micro-randomized approaches have shown potential in momentary interventions for emotion-related behaviors, though this exact setup is novel in its combination with hair biomarkers.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Currently enrolled University of Florida student * Age 18 to 24 years * Owns a smartphone used daily * Willing to wear a wrist-worn device and complete brief check-ins several times daily for approximately five weeks * For the optional hair biomarker sub-study only: at least approximately 1 cm of hair at the posterior vertex, no scalp wound, rash, or dermatologic treatment at the collection site, and natural hair growth accessible at the collection site Exclusion Criteria: * Varsity student-athlete governed by the university athletic association * Unable to complete study procedures in English
Where it's running
-
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Yonghwan Chang, PhD — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Yonghwan Chang, PhD
- Email: smashresearchlabs@hhp.ufl.edu
- Phone: 352-294-1664
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.