Summary: A brief online intervention may help teenagers view their personality as changeable, according to new research from the University of East Anglia. The study found that a single ten-minute video grounded in growth mindset principles shifted young people’s beliefs about their own traits.
Although the short video influenced how participants thought about personality, it did not produce a measurable reduction in immediate symptoms of anxiety or depression. The results point to the potential for low-cost, scalable tools to support youth mental health as part of a broader prevention and early-intervention strategy.
Key facts:
- Growth mindset effect: Teenagers who watched a growth mindset video were more likely to believe that personal traits can change over time.
- No immediate symptom reduction: The intervention did not significantly reduce anxiety or depression scores at the one-month follow-up.
- Scalable, low-cost approach: A single-session online format could complement traditional mental health services and reach young people who do not receive support.
Source: University of East Anglia
Brief online “mental health hack” may help adolescents adopt a growth mindset
New research from the University of East Anglia indicates that a one-off, ten-minute online video can produce a measurable shift in teenagers’ beliefs about their own personalities. The intervention is based on growth mindset principles—the idea that personal characteristics and abilities are not fixed but can develop with effort and experience. While this mindset shift was evident, the study did not find a corresponding short-term decrease in self-reported anxiety or depression symptoms.
The study adds to growing evidence that online single-session interventions (SSIs) can be a useful and accessible option for young people. These brief digital tools may be particularly valuable where traditional services are limited or where many young people are not currently accessing professional support. The research team emphasizes that such interventions are most likely to be effective when integrated into a broader package of prevention, early intervention, and clinical care.
Researchers recruited more than 100 adolescents through schools, charities, and social media. Participants were randomly assigned to either view the growth mindset video or to a waitlist control group. Before the intervention and again after one month, young people reported their levels of anxiety and depression, completed measures of psychological flexibility, and answered questions about their beliefs regarding whether personality traits can change.
Dr Kenny Chiu of UEA’s Norwich Medical School highlighted the public health importance of accessible interventions: “Mental health conditions affect one in seven young people globally. In the UK, around one in five young people have probable mental health disorders, yet many are not receiving support. This makes early, scalable approaches to promoting emotional wellbeing especially important.”
Dr Jessica Ball, who led the trial as part of her doctoral clinical training at UEA, remarked that this is among the first UK-based low-cost online single-session trials aimed at youth mental health. “Our findings are promising in that the brief intervention encouraged a growth mindset among participants,” she said. “Although we did not observe immediate reductions in anxiety or depression after one month, shifting how young people think about their traits may have longer-term benefits that warrant further study.”
Professor Richard Meiser-Stedman from UEA’s Norwich Medical School noted that much of the existing SSI research had been conducted in the United States, and this trial provides important data from a UK context. The authors recommend additional research to assess longer-term outcomes, investigate which groups benefit most, and determine how brief online tools can be combined effectively with other services.
This trial was led by the University of East Anglia in collaboration with Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bath. The research highlights the potential role of short, accessible online interventions to foster psychological development and serve as part of a broader strategy to support adolescent mental health.
About this neurodevelopment and psychology research news
Author: Lisa Horton, University of East Anglia
Source: University of East Anglia
Contact: Lisa Horton, University of East Anglia
Image: Image credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Findings to be published in JCPP Advances