Calmly coping: A Motivational Interviewing Via Co-Active Life Coaching (MI-VIA-CALC) pilot intervention for university students with perceived levels of high stress

Stress is a campus problem. This pre-post pilot study assessed the impact of Motivational Interviewing via Co-Active Life Coaching (MI-via-CALC) on the stress management of 30 full-time, English-speaking Canadian undergraduate students, aged 17-24 years. Participants were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale at pre-, mid-, and post-intervention. Three one-way, repeated-measures ANOVAs were completed. Statistically significant differences in stress reduction were found between pre-intervention to mid-intervention and between pre-intervention to post-intervention. No statistically significant differences occurred between mid-to post-intervention. Inductive content analysis of qualitative interviews at pre-, mid-, and post-intervention revealed participants' positive experiences.