Reducing Symptoms of Depression, Stress and Anxiety and Enhancing Positive Mental Health: a Randomized-controlled Study of the Positive Emotions Training

NCT06851637 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: PoET102
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 297
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Based on the results of the previously published paper "Positive Emotions Training (PoET) as an online intervention to improve mental health: a feasibility study" (Niemann et al., 2023) the goal of this study was to examine the effects of the "Positive Emotions Training" on mental health in a randomized-controlled study. Furthermore, possible predictors for the efficacy of PoET are to be explored. Hypotheses:

1. 1.It was hypothesized that participants receiving PoET would show a significant increase in positive mental health factors at the second assessment point (T2) at end of the second training day.
2. 2.Furthermore, participants receiving PoET are to be expected to show a significant decrease in depression, anxiety and stress symptoms at T2.
3. 3.It was hypothesized that the changes in mental health factors remain stable up to the last assessment point (T3) three month after the training.
4. 4.Lastly, it was hypothesized that there would be no significant changes in the positive or negative mental health factors in the control group at T2 and T3.
5. 5.The possible predictors of the training's efficacy were not hypothesized, but examined in exploratory investigations.

Conditions

Positive Emotions; Mental Health; Intervention (Training) Condition; Randomized Controlled Study; General Population (no Specific Condition or Disease)

Keywords

positive emotions; online intervention; positive psychology; randomized controlled study; intervention; general population

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Positive Mental Health Scale (PMH)

  9 items, 4-point-scale from 0 ("I do not agree ") to 3 ("I agree"), assessing emotional and psychological aspects of wellbeing, higher scores reflect better positive mental health

  before 1st and after 2nd training session, three months after 2nd training session

• Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21)

  21 items, 4-point-scale from 0 ("did not apply to me at all") to 3 ("applied to me very much or most of the time"), assessing negative emotional states, higher scores reflect more symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress

  before 1st and after 2nd training session, three months after 2nd training session

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Life Orientation Test revised (LOT-r)

  before 1st and after 2nd training session, three months after 2nd training session

• Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS)

  before 1st and after 2nd training session, three months after 2nd training session

• Brief Resilience Scale (BRS)

  before 1st and after 2nd training session, three months after 2nd training session

• Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ)

  before 1st and after 2nd training session, three months after 2nd training session

• Satisfaction in different areas of life

  before 1st and after 2nd training session, three months after 2nd training session

Study Arms (2)

PoET group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants of this arm received the PoET online training within two sessions. They filled out a whole of three questionnaires.

Behavioral: PoET

Control group

NO INTERVENTION

Participants did not receive any treatment initially, but were offered to participate in a later PoET training as compensation. They filled out a whole of three questionnaires.

Interventions

PoET BEHAVIORAL

Participants in the PoET group completed two online training sessions (3 hours each) via Zoom. Group size was about 25-30 people. The sessions included the following positive psychology constructs: happiness, humour, optimism, loving kindness and gratitude on the first day, and hope, self-efficacy, meaningfulness, forgiveness and resilience on the second day.

PoET group

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

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

You may not qualify if:

• none

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ruhr University of Bochum: lead

Study Sites (1)

Ruhr-University Bochum

Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia, 44801, Germany

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Niemann L, von Gruner C, Zhang XC, Margraf J, Totzeck C. Positive Emotions Training (PoET) as an online intervention to improve mental health: a feasibility study. BMC Public Health. 2023 Aug 14;23(1):1543. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-16424-x.

  PMID: 37580658 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychological Well-Being; Disease

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personal Satisfaction; Behavior; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Christina Bartnick (born Totzeck), PhD

  Ruhr-University Bochum

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Master of Science (M. Sc.) in Clinical Psychology

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 24, 2025
• First Posted: February 28, 2025
• Study Start: November 3, 2022
• Primary Completion: May 4, 2023
• Study Completion: May 4, 2023
• Last Updated: February 28, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

DE (1)