Only healthy participants will be part of the study where stress is going the be induced experimentally. To make sure that the participants are healthy they will undergo a preliminary questionnaire.
Conditions
Interventions
Group 1: The experimental group conduct a mental activiation of their pet as a first part of the study. They think about their pet, look at pictures and videos of their pet and write about a positive
Sponsors
Medical University of Vienna - Center for Public Health - Department of Social and Preventive Medicine
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: Additional inclusion criteria are that participants must be physically and mentally willing and able to participate, have a very good knowledge of German (level C1 or higher) and own at least one pet that they have had contact with for the majority of days in the last 6 months.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: Exclusion criteria are: heavy alcohol consumption (more than 8 drinks per week for women, more than 15 for men), illegal drug use within the last year, cannabis use within the last 14 days, use of psychotropic drugs within the last 14 days, current or past substance-induced disorders, the following mental disorders: Anxiety Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Borderline Personality Disorder (current, past or less than two years in remission), current pregnancy and current breastfeeding.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The dependent variable in this study is the perceived acute stress of the participants. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) measures stress in the form of a continuum from 0 (not stressed at all) - 100 (very stressed). The Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) is used to examine stress as well. Participants are asked to rate the extent to which 20 adjectives most accurately describe their current affects. For the primary outcome, however, only the ten adjectives for negative affect (e.g. nervous) will be assessed in order to measure perceived acute stress. The scales are presented 6 times in total, namely in the initial phase together with the sociodemographic data, after the initial resting phase, after the intervention or control condition, after the end of the stress induction by the TSST-G, after 10 minutes into and after the end of the final resting phase. The perception of stress assessed through these scales must be recorded from time T1 to time T6 in order to be interpreted meaningfully. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| As secondary outcome, the 10 adjectives of the PANAS that measure positive affects (e.g. proud) will be assessed in order to the measure the changes in the positive affects of the participants. Additionally, the following mediator and moderator variables will be measured: The relationship between the owner and their pet will be assessed via the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS), the interactions between the owner and their pet via Cat/Dog Owner Relationship Scale (C/DORS), the self-efficacy of the participants via the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) and the repetitive negative thinking of the participants will be collected via the Perservative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ). All of these scales will be presented in the initial phase of the study after the sociodemographic questionnaire at time T1. | — |
Countries
Austria
Contacts
Public ContactBence Szaszkó
Medical University of Vienna - Center for Public Health - Department of Social and Preventive Medicine
Outcome results
None listed