Weekly grief support texts for bereaved college students
Official title: Help Texts Grief Intervention for Bereaved College Students
Run by University of California, Los Angeles · NCT07228260 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether a year of weekly Help Texts messages helps bereaved UCLA students reduce grief and depression and improve academic outcomes.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 126 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of California, Los Angeles Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Los Angeles, California) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 30, 2025 |
| Main results expected | June 2027 |
| Study ends | June 2027 |
| Registry record updated | November 6, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07228260 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are UCLA students aged 18 or older who experienced the death of a close person within the past 12 months and can read English.
✕Probably not a fit
Students whose loss occurred more than 12 months ago, those requiring intensive or crisis mental health care, non-UCLA students, or non-English speakers may not receive benefit from this text-based program.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Bereaved UCLA students who are 18 or older and can read English will be randomly assigned to receive either a 12-month subscription to Help Texts (weekly supportive messages) or a waitlist control that receives a list of grief resources. Participants will complete surveys at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months to measure grief severity, depressive symptoms, and academic functioning (for example, grades, graduation, and enrollment retention). The intervention delivers evidence-informed, private text-message content designed by clinical psychologists and expert contributors tailored to different types of loss. The primary comparison is change in grief and depression scores and academic outcomes between the Help Texts and waitlist groups over 12 months.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide an accessible, private support option that reduces grief and depressive symptoms and helps bereaved students remain academically engaged.
How similar studies have gone: Text-message–based mental health interventions have shown promise in other populations, but year-long randomized trials of grief-focused texts in college students are limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Enrolled UCLA student * At least 18 years old * Experienced death of a close person in the past 12 months * Able to read English
Where it's running
-
Franz Hall
Los Angeles, California, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Michelle Chang, M.A., C.Phil
- Email: changmichelle@g.ucla.edu
- Phone: (323) 284-4695
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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.