A Compassion-Focused Online Single-Session Intervention to Reduce Academic Stress in University Students: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Among university students, the experience of academic stress is associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Single-session interventions (SSIs) are structured and accessible self-guided interventions, often delivered digitally, that integrate elements of empirically supported treatments. Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) has been shown to be beneficial in alleviating stress, anxiety, and depression. However, the effectiveness of CFT (1) in the academic context, and (2) when delivered in brief digital formats, has not yet been tested. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a compassion-focused online SSI for reducing stress among university students. Methods: University students aged 18-65 years that indicate at least mild stress (a score >7 on the stress scale of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 [DASS-21]) will be recruited from German-speaking Switzerland. The target sample size is 156 participants randomly assigned to either the intervention or the waitlist control group. The 45-minute intervention follows the typical SSI structure and combines psychoeducation on academic stress, core CFT principles, guided breathing, compassion imagery exercises, and includes an action plan. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, 24 hours after the intervention, and at the 1-week follow-up. The primary outcome is the change in stress between baseline and 1-week follow-up, measured with the stress scale of the DASS-21. Secondary outcomes include depressive symptoms and anxiety measured with the depression and anxiety scales of the DASS-21 between baseline and 1-week follow-up. Data will be analyzed using linear (mixed-effects) models. Results: Ethical approval for the study was received in September 2025. Recruitment and data collection started in November 2025; data collection will conclude once 172 participants have been enrolled. As of April 15, 2026, 67 participants have been enrolled. Data analysis is planned for winter 2026, with the primary findings being prepared for publication in the spring of 2027. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this study is the first randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of a compassion-focused online SSI on reducing stress in university students. If the program proves to be effective, it would offer a low-threshold, cost-effective, and scalable mental health intervention for the academic context.