# Protocol for a mixed-methods pilot study on the feasibility of TABATA training to alleviate moderate to severe psychological stress in Chinese middle school students

## TL;DR

This study explores if a 20-minute TABATA training program can help reduce psychological stress in Chinese middle school students.

## Contribution

A novel TABATA-style high-intensity interval training module is proposed for alleviating adolescent psychological stress.

## Key findings

- The study will assess the feasibility of the TABATA training module for middle school students.
- Results will include insights on the acceptability of the program from both students and teachers.

## Abstract

Chinese secondary school students face increasingly complex psychological stress. Traditional interventions for adolescent psychological stress usually focus on psychological counseling or medication. However, the obvious drawbacks are potential side effects, limited attention to the root causes of mental health problems, and the risk of drug dependence. To address this, we developed a 20-min Tabata-style high intensity interval training module for this group. This program is designed to be efficient and time-saving, aiming to alleviate their psychological stress. This study will be executed in two phases: (1) Participants in the intervention group will undergo eight weeks of TABATA training, while those in the control group will not receive any intervention or participate in any interviews. (2) Participants for this phase will be selected from the RCT conducted in phase one. Individual interviews will be conducted with a subset of students who received the intervention, as well as with PE teachers who delivered the training. The results of this study will demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of the TABATA training module we developed among Chinese middle school students experiencing moderate to severe psychological stress.

Study Protocol Registration details: China Clinical Trial registration number ChiCTR2500101576.