no Specific Clincal Condition Required (Focus is on Persons Who Are Feeling Stressed or Want to Improve Their Wellbeing)
Conditions
Brief summary
The study's aim is to determine whether brief interventions (micro-interventions) aiming to optimize expectations or enhancing feelings of self-compassion are able to improve well-being/reduce perceived stress in comparison to an active control group in an online-study
Detailed description
In this study we use a pre-post-test design to compare the effects of the (classic) best possible self intervention vs. the best possible self intervention (including ways on how to reach the imagined best possible future) vs. a self-compassion intervention vs. an active control group. We are interested in the differential effects and examine several moderators.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALThinking, writing and imagining
All participants are asked to take some time to think and write about the content of the respective intervention group. After the writing exercise (approx. 15-20 min) participants are asked to imagine that content for about 5 minutes.
Sponsors
Philipps University Marburg
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Intervention model description
Parallel Assignment
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* fluent in German language * access to a computer/tablet/smartphone with audio output/headphones
Exclusion criteria
* not willing to take part in an online-intervention (duration: 60 minutes) * no access to a computer/tablet/smartphone with audio output/headphones
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in perceived stress ratings | Change from pre (baseline) to post scores (approx. 30 minutes later) | Participants are asked to rate how stressed they feel at the moment at two time points (baseline and the intervention) on a questionnaire (VAS: item ranges from 0 (not stressed at all) - 100 (very stressed). Change scores are calculated (post- minus pre-scores; pre-scores will be used as a covariate). e.g.Lesage, F.-X., Berjot, S., & Deschamps, F. (2012). Clinical stress assessment using a visual ana-logue scale. Occupational Medicine, 62(8), 600-605. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqs140 |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in emotions (PANAS) | Change from pre (baseline) to post scores (approx. 30 minutes later) | Change scores are calculated for positive and negative sum scores (post- minus pre-scores; pre-scores will be used as a covariate). Krohne, H.W., Egloff, B., Kohlmann, C.W., & Tausch, A. (1996). Experiments with a German version of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Diagnostica, 42, 139-156. |
| Change in state optimism ratings | Change from pre (baseline) to post scores (approx. 30 minutes later) | State Optimism measure (SOM), 7 items (each item 1(strongly disagree)-5(strongly agree)). Change scores are calculated for positive and negative sum scores (post- minus pre-scores; pre-scores will be used as a covariate). Millstein, R. A., Chung, W. J., Hoeppner, B. B., Boehm, J. K., Legler, S. R., Mastromauro, C. A., & Huffman, J. C. (2019). Development of the State Optimism Measure. General hospital psychiatry, 58, 83-93 |
| Change in state self-compassion | Change from pre (baseline) to post scores (approx. 30 minutes later) | Change in state self-compassion (SCS-state), 16 items (each item 1(strongly disagree) - 5 (strongly agree)). Change scores are calculated (post- minus pre-scores; pre-scores will be used as a covariate). Breines, J. G., & Chen, S. (2013). Activating the inner caregiver: The role of support-giving schemas in increasing state self-compassion. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 49(1), 58-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2012.07.015 |
| Change in perceived (stress) burden ratings (resulting from perceived stress) | Change from pre (baseline) to post scores (approx. 30 minutes later) | Participants are asked to rate how burdened they feel at the moment at two time points (baseline and the intervention) due to the experienced stress on a questionnaire (VAS: item ranges from 0 (not at all) - 100 (very much). Change scores are calculated (post- minus pre-scores; pre-scores will be used as a covariate). Indirect/opposite measure of well-being. |
| Ratings directly assessing the perceived change due to the intervention | Only Post-Assessment (end of the experiment; approx. 45-60 minutes after start of the experiment) | e.g. The intervention reduced my perceived stress, The intervention increased my feeling of being able to influence things |
| Change in perceived self-efficacy (expectations) | Change from pre (baseline) to post scores (approx. 30 minutes later) | Change in perceived self-efficacy (SWE), 10 items (each item (1(not at all) - 4(exactly)). Change scores are calculated (post- minus pre-scores; pre-scores will be used as a covariate). SchwarzerR& Jerusalem M. Generalized Self---Efficacy scale. In J. Weinman, S. Wright, &M. Johnston, Measures in health psychology: A user's portfolio. Causal andcontrol beliefs (pp. 35---37). 1995. Windsor, England: NFER---NELSON. |
| Change in anxiety and depression state (STADI) | Change from pre (baseline) to post scores (approx. 30 minutes later) | Change in anxiety and depression state (STADI), 20 items (each item 1(strongly disagree) - 4 (strongly agree)). Change scores are calculated (post- minus pre-scores; pre-scores will be used as a covariate). Laux, L., Hock, M., Bergner-Köther, R., Hodapp, V., & Renner, K. H. (2013). The State-Trait-Anxiety-Depression-Inventory-Manual. Göttingen, Germany: Hogrefe. |
| Satisfaction ratings with the respective intervention | Only Post-Assessment (end of the experiment; approx. 45-60 minutes after start of the experiment) | e.g. I was satisfied with the intervention or I feel like I had a benefit from this intervention |
Countries
Germany
Outcome results
None listed