Strategies for Coping With Negative Thoughts

NCT05566691 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2022B0242
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 301
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The primary objective of this study is to assess the impact of two strategies for coping with negative automatic thoughts (positive thinking and cognitive restructuring) on one's belief in negative thoughts and one's affect. Another main objective is to assess whether participating in a positive mood induction (versus no mood induction) prior to using one of the two coping strategies impacts belief in negative thoughts and affect. We will also explore the interaction between strategy condition and mood induction condition. As secondary outcomes, we will evaluate whether there are changes in positive thinking skills and cognitive restructuring skills and depressive symptoms after one week of using the strategy.

Conditions

Depressive Symptoms; Anxiety; Negative Thinking

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Change in Positive and Negative Affect Schedule

  The PANAS is a 20-item self report scale that measures positive affect (10 items) and negative affect (10 items). Each item is rated on a Likert scale from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating a higher endorsement of each affective descriptor.

  Assessed at baseline, each day for 6 days, and one week post-baseline.

• Change in belief in negative thought

  Participants will be asked how much they believed in a negative thought (0-100%) they recently experienced before completing a worksheet. After using a positive thinking or cognitive restructuring worksheet, participants will rate how much they currently believe their initial negative thought.

  Assessed at baseline, each day for 6 days, and one week post-baseline.

• Change in mood

  Participants will be asked to rate their mood on a scale of 0 (very negative) to 100 (very positive) before and after the positive mood induction.

  Assessed at baseline, each day for 6 days, and one week post-baseline.

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Change in positive thinking and cognitive restructuring skills

  Assessed at baseline and one week post-baseline.

• Change in Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms Self-Report

  Assessed at baseline and one week post-baseline.

Study Arms (4)

Positive thinking

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Videos will describe negative automatic thoughts and then describe positive thinking, its benefits, and how to use it to cope with negative thoughts. A worksheet will then walk participants through applying the strategy to a recent negative thought of their own. Daily surveys will involve a shortened version of this worksheet.

Other: Positive thinking

Positive thinking plus mood induction

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The same videos will be used to describe negative automatic thoughts and then describe positive thinking, its benefits, and how to use it to cope with negative thoughts. Participants will then undergo a positive mood induction in which they are asked to recall a pleasant memory and try to re-experience those feelings. A worksheet will then walk participants through applying the strategy to a recent negative thought of their own. Daily surveys will involve the same mood induction and a shortened version of this worksheet.

Other: Positive thinking + Mood induction

Thought reevaluation

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Videos will describe negative automatic thoughts and then describe reevaluating thoughts, its benefits, and how to use it to cope with negative thoughts. A worksheet will then walk participants through applying the strategy to a recent negative thought of their own. Daily surveys will involve a shortened version of this worksheet.

Other: Thought reevaluation

Thought reevaluation plus mood induction

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The same videos will be used to describe negative automatic thoughts and then describe reevaluating thoughts, its benefits, and how to use it to cope with negative thoughts. Participants will then undergo a positive mood induction in which they are asked to recall a pleasant memory and try to re-experience those feelings. A worksheet will then walk participants through applying the strategy to a recent negative thought of their own. Daily surveys will involve the same mood induction and a shortened version of this worksheet.

Other: Thought reevaluation + Mood induction

Interventions

Positive thinking OTHER

Participants will be provided with information about how to cope with negative thoughts using positive thinking and asked to complete a worksheet walking them through the steps of positively reevaluating negative thoughts.

Positive thinking

Positive thinking + Mood induction OTHER

Participants will be provided with information about how to cope with negative thoughts using positive thinking and asked to complete a worksheet walking them through the steps of positively reevaluating negative thoughts. They will be assigned to a positive mood induction before completion of the worksheet.

Positive thinking plus mood induction

Thought reevaluation OTHER

Participants will be provided with information about how to cope with negative thoughts using thought reevaluation and asked to complete a worksheet walking them through the steps of reevaluating negative thoughts.

Thought reevaluation

Thought reevaluation + Mood induction OTHER

Participants will be provided with information about how to cope with negative thoughts using thought reevaluation and asked to complete a worksheet walking them through the steps of reevaluating negative thoughts. They will be assigned to a positive mood induction before completion of the worksheet.

Thought reevaluation plus mood induction

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• years old or older.

You may not qualify if:

• A level of visual impairment that would prevent them from being able to answer questions on an electronic screen.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ohio State University: lead

Study Sites (1)

The Ohio State University

Columbus, Ohio, 43210, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depression; Anxiety Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 2, 2022
• First Posted: October 4, 2022
• Study Start: August 29, 2022
• Primary Completion: December 2, 2022
• Study Completion: December 2, 2022
• Last Updated: January 9, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-01

Locations

US (1)