Clinical trial NCT05737251: Positive Emotions Training (PoET) as an Online Intervention to Improve Mental Health: a Feasibility Study
Official title: Positive Emotions Training (PoET) as an Online Intervention to Improve Mental Health: a Feasibility Study
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Positive Emotions
Mental Health
Keywords: positive emotions
online intervention
positive psychology
Lead sponsor: Ruhr University of Bochum
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2023-02-21
Enrollment: 174
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Positive psychology interventions are known to have an impact on mental health as well as on a number of beneficial characteristics like optimism, gratitude and self-efficacy. The new developed Positive Emotions Training (PoET) is one of the first holistic training programs covering eleven positive psychology constructs. The goal of this study was to test PoET's feasibility in the general population and to assess possible effects on positive and negative mental health factors. Additionally, possible effects on optimism, gratitude, happiness, resilience, and self-efficacy were examined.

Hypotheses:

1. It was hypothesized that participants receiving PoET would show a significant increase in positive mental health factors one month after the second training day.
2. It was expected to find a significant decrease in depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms one month after the second training day.
3. It was hypothesized that participants in a control group would not show any significant changes in this regard.

Methods:

The sample (n = 101) was allocated to PoET (n = 55) or control (n = 46) which did not receive any treatment. The allocation was neither randomized nor matched. Participants in the PoET group completed a whole of two training sessions (3.5 hours each) that were conducted in an online format (via Zoom) with groups of about 30 people. These sessions included the following positive psychology constructs: happiness, hope, humour, optimism, gratitude, self-efficacy, flow, meaningfulness, forgiveness, spirituality, resilience.

All participants completed positive and negative mental health measures at the beginning of the first training session and at the beginning of the second one as well as 30 days after the second session. Additionally, they had to complete two short items regarding stress and mood after each training session. They were given an exercise booklet with descriptions and explanations for all exercises during the training and at home. The week between the two sessions was called "7-day-challenge" to motivate the participants to try out several exercises at home.

Data was collected pseudonymised via Socisurvey. Data analysis was conducted with RStudio. Two-factorial repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted to test for possible effects of PoET on mental health.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* legal age (18)
* ability to use Zoom and all associated technology

Exclusion Criteria:

* none

Primary outcomes:
measure: Changes in Positive Mental Health Scale (3 assessment points)
timeFrame: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
measure: Changes in Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (3 assessment points)
timeFrame: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Changes in Life Orientation Test-revised (3 assessment points)
timeFrame: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
measure: Changes in Gratitude Questionnaire (3 assessment points)
timeFrame: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
measure: Changes in Satisfaction With Life Scale (3 assessment points)
timeFrame: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
measure: Changes in New General Self-Efficacy Scale (3 assessment points)
timeFrame: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
measure: Changes in Brief Resilience Scale (3 assessment points)
timeFrame: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Bochum
country: Germany
facility: Ruhr-University Bochum
state: North Rhine-Westphalia
Study officials:
affiliation: Ruhr-University Bochum
name: Christina Totzeck, Dr.
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
References: