Testing the Effectiveness of an Intervention That Aligns Circadian Rhythm With Daily Activities on Student Flourishing (Not Required)

Previous studies have examined whether circadian rhythm tracking improves well-being, with some evidence suggesting that aligning daily activities with one's natural chronotype (a person's natural preference for being alert and sleep), enhances well-being and productivity. However, the current research lacks intervention-based designs like real-time tracking or behavioral alignment tools. Here, the investigators aim to investigate if an active intervention, involving the usage of an app tracking circadian rhythms and making recommendations based on one's circadian rhythm over seven weeks, improves students' flourishing.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Chronotypes and Health
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Use of Owaves App

Detailed Description

The aim of this clinical study is to test the effectiveness of an intervention (through an app called Owaves: MyBodyClock that will be provided free of cost) designed to help students align daily activities in accordance with their circadian rhythm. The questions include:

1. Does the intervention improve both trait and state measures of student flourishing, including general well-being (i.e., happiness), focus, and energy levels?
2. Does the intervention alter the types of activities participants engage in?
3. Does the intervention impact the likelihood of seeking resources for physical and mental health?

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 400
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Karen Dobkins, PhD; Phone Number: 16198468152; Email: KDOBKINS@UCSD.EDU

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • La Jolla, California, United States, 92037
      • Recruiting
      • UC San Diego
      • Contact: Karen Dobkins, PhD; Phone Number: 6198468152; Email: KDOBKINS@UCSD.EDU

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Currently an undergraduate students from University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
• Age 18 or older
• has access to a device to answer Qualtrics questions
• has access to a device that can download the MyBodyClock App (Apple iPhone or Apple iPad)

Exclusion Criteria:

- Participants who are under the age of 18, are not undergraduate students at UCSD, or do not have access to the Qualtrics question platform and/or the MyBodyClock App

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention Group who uses OWAVES App for 7 weeks	Behavioral: Use of Owaves App; Students use the Owaves app for 7 weeks and psychological measures are obatined pre and post to determine the effectiveness of the App
No Intervention: Control group who does not use the OWAVES app

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Trait Happiness (Subjective Happiness Scale)	Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) Trait questionnaire. The SHS is a 4-item scale of global subjective happiness. It is scored on a 7-point Likert scale where 1 = less happy to 7 = more happy. Total scores range from 4 to 28 where higher scores indicate greater subjective happiness.	Baseline (Weeks 1/2) and Weeks 8/9.
Focus Trait (Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale (Inattention Subscale) and Academic Time Management and Procrastination Measure)	The Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale is a self-report questionnaire with 18-items which rates the frequency of ADHD symptoms and behaviors. Each item is scored on a 4-point scale ranging from 1 = never or rarely, to 4 = very often. A lower score indicates less severe ADHD symptoms and behaviors.	Baseline (Weeks 1/2) and Weeks 8/9.
Energy Trait (Subjective Vitality Scale)	Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS) is a 6 - item self-report questionnaire to measure the subjective vitality of a participant. It is scored on a 7-point Likert scale where 1 = completely disagree to 7 = completely agree. Higher scores indicates higher level of subjective vitality.	Baseline (Weeks 1/2) and Weeks 8/9.
Mindfulness Trait (Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ))	The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) short form is a 24-item questionnaire that measures mindfulness in participants. Items are scored on a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 = never/very rarely true to 5 = very often/always true. Higher scores indicate greater levels of mindfulness.	Baseline (Weeks 1/2) and Weeks 8/9.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
States	State measures will be obtained within three days of the trait assessments (also in weeks 1/2 and 8/9) using the Daily Reconstruction Method (DRM), in which participants are asked to reconstruct their previous day into episodes and retrospectively report on state variables during each episode (see Raynes & Dobkins, 2025). The state measures will match the trait measures and ask about: Happiness (State); Focus (State); Energy (State); Mindfulness (State)	7 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of California, San Diego

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 5, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 16, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 12, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): February 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 13, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 12, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB: #813010

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No