Feasibility and Efficacy of a Digital Training Intervention to Increase Reward Sensitivity- Imager
Condition: Stress
MeSH terms: Hypersensitivity
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Development and feasibility test of an Ecological Momentary Intervention (EMI) - Imager, to
      promote and improve stress resilience, specifically to increase reward sensitivity.
    

Detailed description: 
      Aim of the current project is to develop and test Ecological Momentary Intervention (EMI) -
      Imager, to promote and improve stress resilience, specifically to increase reward
      sensitivity. EMIs are mostly smartphone-based applications that deliver interventions to
      people as they go about in their daily lives. The EMI developed and tested here is based on
      theoretical and empirical findings and consists of several items and a repeated training
      using various individual scenarios from participants' life that will be presented to
      participants via an app on their smartphones.

      This study tests the feasibility and effects of the EMI on a change in (i) reward
      sensitivity, (ii) mental imagery, and (iii) indices of perceived stress. One hundred twenty
      healthy student participants, aged 18-29 will be included in the study. Participants will be
      screened first and included if they score 5 points or more on the Reward Sensitivity Subscale
      of Behavioral Avoidance/Inhibition (BIS/BAS) scales. This is necessary in order to avoid a
      ceiling effect. Then, participants will be randomly assigned to an experimental (reward
      sensitivity EMI) or two of the control conditions (control EMA or waitlist). The reward
      sensitivity EMI group will be taught about experiencing rewards in daily life and will be
      asked to apply the specific techniques to personal situations repeatedly. The control EMA
      group will use the same app consisting of Ecological Momentary Assessment only, and the
      waitlist group will not receive any mobile app.

      The training will last seven consecutive days and the app will send (i) 10 prompts per day to
      ask about the current mood of the user in control EMA and experimental groups and (ii) three
      prompts per day resulting in a total of 21 reward training sessions only in the experimental
      group. Participants will be able to use a special button triggering the intervention or EMA
      by themselves too. After one week, participants will return to the lab, fill in
      questionnaires and participate in behavioral tasks.
    

Intervention name(s): Cognitive- behavioral imagery-based training
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): The EMI developed and tested here is based on theoretical and empirical findings and consists of several items and a repeated training using various individual scenarios from participants' life that will be presented to participants via an app on their smartphones.
Other intervention name(s): Imager
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Parallel group design with control group completing only EMA, not EMI
Masking: Double (Participant, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: stress; health; resilience