Does taking part in outdoor sports education reduce job-seeking anxiety among university students?
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN14022322 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN14022322 |
| Higher Education Teaching Reform Research and Practice Project | 2023GJJG563 |
| Sponsor | Tangshan Normal University |
| Funder | Department of Education of Hebei Province |
- Submission date
- 24/03/2026
- Registration date
- 30/03/2026
- Last edited
- 30/03/2026
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data
Record updated in last year
Plain English summary of protocol
Plain English summary of protocol not provided at time of registration
Contact information
Mr Hailong Chang
Public, Scientific, Principal investigator
Public, Scientific, Principal investigator
No. 156 Jianshe North Road, Tangshan City
Tang Shan
063000
China
| Phone | +8613220195159 |
|---|---|
| 121052@tetc.edu.cn |
Study information
| Primary study design | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Allocation | Randomized controlled trial |
| Masking | Open (masking not used) |
| Control | Active |
| Assignment | Parallel |
| Purpose | Prevention |
| Participant information sheet | 49267_PIS.pdf |
| Scientific title | The effect of a 16-week outdoor sports education program on employment anxiety among university students: a cluster randomized controlled trial |
| Study objectives | To examine the effect of a 16-week outdoor sports education program on university students' employment anxiety, and to investigate the mediating roles of self-management and fear of failure in this relationship. |
| Ethics approval(s) |
Approved 10/08/2025, Ethics Committee for Human Experimentation at Tangshan Normal University (No. 156 Jianshe North Road, Tangshan City, Tang Shan, 063000, China; +8613613258558; 52690585@qq.com), ref: TSTC2025-8-10 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Employment anxiety in university students |
| Intervention | A cluster randomized design was employed, with class as the unit of randomization. Eight intact classes were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (four classes) or the control group (four classes). Randomization was performed by an independent researcher using a computer-generated random number sequence (random.org). To ensure allocation concealment, class assignments were placed in sealed, opaque envelopes and opened only after baseline data collection. Intervention group: 16-week outdoor sports education program (90 min/week) including trust exercises, rock climbing, orienteering, and team-based problem-solving activities. Control group: 16-week conventional physical education (basketball or aerobics, 90 min/week). Participants completed the Future Employment Anxiety Scale questionnaires at the beginning and at the end of the 16-week program. This is a 20-item self-report questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree). Total scores range from 20 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater employment anxiety. The scale comprises four dimensions: Personal Ability (5 items), Knowledge Application (5 items), Career Replaceability (5 items), and Social Relations (5 items). |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
|
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) | |
| Completion date | 19/12/2025 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 18 Years |
| Upper age limit | 22 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Target sample size at registration | 312 |
| Total final enrolment | 310 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Undergraduate students enrolled in compulsory physical education courses at Tangshan Normal University 2. Aged 18–22 years 3. Able to participate in physical activities without contraindications 4. Willing to provide written informed consent |
| Key exclusion criteria | 1. Physical injuries or medical conditions that preclude safe participation in physical activities 2. Mental health concerns that may interfere with study participation 3. Inability to complete the 16-week intervention 4. Failure to provide written informed consent |
| Date of first enrolment | 13/08/2025 |
| Date of final enrolment | 30/08/2025 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- China
Study participating centres
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
|---|
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participant information sheet | Informed Consent Form in Chinese | 26/03/2026 | No | Yes | |
| Protocol file | 26/03/2026 | No | No |
Additional files
- 49267_PIS.pdf
- Informed Consent Form in Chinese
- 49267_Protocol.pdf
- Protocol file
Editorial Notes
25/03/2026: Study’s existence confirmed by the Ethics Committee for Human Experimentation at Tangshan Normal University, China.
