Single Session Intervention to Prevent Common Mental Disorders and Among College Students

The present study aims to determine the effect of presenting psychoeducation emphasizing "growth-mindset," and information on depression and anxiety symptom severity. The investigators hypothesize that psychoeducation emphasizing that mental health is malleable will increase the participant's engagement with risk factors outlined in the intervention

Depression and anxiety disorders (or common mental disorders; CMDs) are increasingly common among college students, with rates comparable to the general population. As such, brief, scalable and transdiagnostic prevention efforts targeting CMDs are needed. In order to address this need, this study aims to evaluate the impact of a single session intervention (SSI) utilizing growth mindset (GM) on CMD symptom severity and investigate the mediating role of changes in modifiable risk factors in the relationship between intervention and CMD symptom reduction. The intervention will adapt existing GM interventions for college students to engage mechanisms in the prevention and management of common mental disorders including engagement in modifiable risk factors. College students will be randomly assigned to complete either a GM intervention or a psychoeducation control.