Personalized Support and Student Success

Last registered on July 22, 2026
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Personalized Support and Student Success
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0019132
Initial registration date
July 13, 2026

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
July 22, 2026, 7:48 AM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Name
Stephanie El Khoury
Affiliation
Arizona State University
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2026-08-20
End date
2026-12-11
Keywords
Behavior, Education
Additional Keywords
Higher Education, Student Well-Being, Personalized Learning
JEL code(s)
i21, i23, j24, c93
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether a universal student support intervention that provides personalized video feedback, recommendations, and action-oriented tasks can improve students' academic and college experiences. The intervention is designed to address common challenges experienced by college students, including study strategies, time management, financial stress, social belonging, and other barriers to academic success. We will examine whether students who receive personalized support demonstrate improvements in outcomes such as academic performance.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
El Khoury, Stephanie. 2026. "Personalized Support and Student Success." AEA RCT Registry. July 22. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.19132-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
The intervention is a personalized student support program delivered throughout one academic semester to undergraduate students enrolled in Arizona State University's University College courses.

Following completion of a baseline survey, participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control within strata defined by LEAD status (LEAD vs. non-LEAD) and baseline primary concern category: (1) study habits and exam preparation, (2) time and workload management, (3) financial management and budgeting, or (4) building social connections and belonging. Randomization occurs immediately after the baseline survey and participants are not informed of their assignment. The treatment condition receives personalized behavioral support tailored to the student’s highest-ranked concern, including individualized email feedback, short microlearning videos, weekly SMS prompts, and a printed journal with weekly activities. The control condition receives a neutral thank-you message and a blank journal without personalized content of their assignment.
Intervention Start Date
2026-09-08
Intervention End Date
2026-11-18

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
End-of-semester GPA.
Persistence and retention
Student flourishing: Composite flourishing score measured using the end-of-semester student survey, capturing domains including purpose, relationships, and well-being
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
Flourishing Index. The primary survey outcome will be a composite flourishing score constructed from items measuring multiple domains of student flourishing, including purpose and meaning, relationships and belonging, and emotional well-being.

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Self-reported use of evidence-based learning strategies, time management behaviors, help-seeking, and other behaviors targeted by the intervention.
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)
Secondary outcomes will be measured using the end-of-semester survey. These include self-reported use of evidence-based learning strategies (e.g., retrieval practice, spaced studying, and self-testing), time management behaviors (e.g., planning, scheduling, and workload management), help-seeking behaviors (e.g., communicating with instructors, classmates, and use of campus support services), and other behaviors directly targeted by the intervention. Individual survey items will be coded so that higher values indicate more adaptive behaviors.

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
This study is a two-arm, individually randomized controlled trial evaluating the effects of a personalized student support intervention among undergraduate students enrolled in Arizona State University University College courses. During the third week of the semester, eligible students complete a baseline survey and provide informed consent. Following survey completion, participants are randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either a treatment or control condition. Randomization is stratified by LEAD status (LEAD vs. non-LEAD) and participants' highest-ranked area of concern at baseline: (1) study habits and preparing for exams, (2) time and workload management, (3) financial management and budgeting, or (4) building connections and friendships. Participants assigned to the treatment group receive personalized communications and behavioral support throughout the semester, while control participants receive standard study communications without personalized intervention content. Follow-up outcomes are collected through an end-of-semester survey and linked administrative academic records. The primary unit of analysis is the individual student.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
STATA
Randomization Unit
Student level
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
1,000 students
Sample size: planned number of observations
1,000 students
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
500 students by treatment arm
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
ERA (Enterprise Research Administration) system
IRB Approval Date
2026-07-09
IRB Approval Number
STUDY00024526
Analysis Plan