A pilot study of the effectiveness of Biteback - A comprehensive youth online positive psychology intervention.

INTERVENTION: Two different samples ‐ a community and a schools sample. In the community sample, participants are instructed to use the site www.biteback.org.au for 1 hour per week for a period of 6 weeks. The website is built around 9 domains: gratitude, social relationships, flow, mindfulness, kindness, character strengths, hope, optimism, and healthy lifestyles. Website includes interviews, videos, interactive activities, meditation tracks, and information. In the community sample, participants are given the choice of two neutral websites, 'ABC3' and 'The Fix'. Reminders to use the website are sent weekly. In the schools sample, participating classes of students are given individual workbooks which students work through during their class time. The workbooks contain reflective questions, instructions, and links to follow which guide them through the Biteback website. In the schools sample, the control group are given workbooks that contains reflective questions, instructions, and links to a variety of neutral websites, ABC, AYCC, NRDC, WWF, Wikipedia, IMDB, and world youth news. Students will use the program for a total of 6 hours over a period of approximately 6 weeks. CONDITION: Mental wellbeing PRIMARY OUTCOME: Cognitive and emotional wellbeing as measured by the Student Life Satisfaction Scale (SLSS) and the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) Flourishing will be measured with the Short Warwick‐Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMBS) SECONDARY OUTCOME: Psychopathology as measured by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale ‐ 21 item version (DASS‐21). Wellbeing indicators including quality of social relationships, as measured by a social relations questionnaire; optimism, as measured by the modified Life Orientation Test ‐ Revised (LOT‐R); self‐efficacy, as measured by the modified General Self‐Efficacy Scale (GSE); and self‐esteem, as measured by the modified Rosenberg's Self‐Esteem scale. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Aged 12 to 18 years and living in Australia.