Efficacy of Best Possible Self Intervention Over Time

NCT ID: NCT02321605

Last Updated: 2014-12-22

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 78 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2013-01-31
• Study Completion Date: 2014-10-31

Brief Summary

This study is aimed to test the efficacy of a Positive Psychology Intervention (Best Possible Self) over optimism, future expectancies and positive affect at mid-term, in comparison to a control group. The principal hypothesis is that Best Possible Self intervention will enhance significantly the levels of optimism and positive affect in comparison to the control group at short and mid-term.

Detailed Description

Over the last fifteen years, research in the field of positive psychology has increased exponentially (Bolier, Haverman, Westerhof, Riper, Smit & Bohlmeijer, 2013; Sin & Lyubomirsky, 2009). These studies have shown that positive moods and positive emotions lead people to think, feel, and act in favor of their approach goals, promoting their involvement in them (Lyubomirsky, 2001). One of the main arms of this framework, is the development of exercises and treatment protocols aimed to promote the appearance of different positive emotions and states, called Positive Psychology Interventions (PPIs).

In this sense, Best Possible Self (BPS) has been included as a PPI, since is aimed to enhance wellbeing. Specifically, BPS is a positive future thinking technique, which requires people to envision themselves in the future, after everything has gone as good as it possibly could. This exercise has shown efficacy improving optimism, future expectancies and positive affect compared to a control condition, in general population (Meevissen, Peters & Alberts, 2011; Sheldon &Lyubomirsky, 2012; Peters, Flink, Boersma & Linton, 2010).

Furthermore, the progress of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), has allowed the development of technology applications and devices that could enhance the quality of experience and the wellbeing levels. This approach is called Positive Technology (PT) and it can be used as a complement to PPIs. PT can be defined as the scientific and applied approach to improve the quality of our personal experience trying to increase wellness and generate strengths (Riva, Baños, Botella, Wiederhold & Gaggioli, 2012).

Taking into account the prior literature, the aim of the present study is to carry out a randomized controlled study in order to replicate the findings about the effects of BPS on optimism, mood and affect in young general population. The exercise will be applied through a Positive Technology system and the effects will be analyzed during four months. The design employed in this study is similar to the used in other studies (Meevissen et al, 2011; Renner, Schwarz, Peters & Huibers, 2014; Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2006).

Conditions

Best Possible Self Intervention

Keywords

Best Possible Self; Positive Psychology; Optimism; Positive Technology; Future Thinking

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

BPS exercise

Intervention group which requires people to envision themselves in a future in which all has gone in the best possible way.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

e-BPS

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants are asked to write and imagine about a future in which they have reached all their goals and they have developed all their potentialities in four different domains: personal, professional, social and health domain.

They carry out the exercise in a Positive Technology System called the "Book of Life", which has shown efficacy in the enhancement of positive mood (Baños, Etchemendy, Farfallini, García-Palacios, Quero & Botella, 2014). This application looks like a personal diary, where participants can write all that they want and these essays are supported by multimedia content (pictures, songs and videos). Additionally, they can continue doing the exercise in a web platform in which they can visualize all the content they had developed previously.

Daily Activities

Control group which consists of thinking and writing about all the activities and situations that had taken place during the last 24 h.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Daily Activities

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants are asked to think and write about all that they have done the last 24 hours. They carry out the exercise in a powerpoint document, where they can record all the activities, situations and thoughts.

Interventions

e-BPS

Participants are asked to write and imagine about a future in which they have reached all their goals and they have developed all their potentialities in four different domains: personal, professional, social and health domain.

They carry out the exercise in a Positive Technology System called the "Book of Life", which has shown efficacy in the enhancement of positive mood (Baños, Etchemendy, Farfallini, García-Palacios, Quero & Botella, 2014). This application looks like a personal diary, where participants can write all that they want and these essays are supported by multimedia content (pictures, songs and videos). Additionally, they can continue doing the exercise in a web platform in which they can visualize all the content they had developed previously.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Daily Activities

Participants are asked to think and write about all that they have done the last 24 hours. They carry out the exercise in a powerpoint document, where they can record all the activities, situations and thoughts.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

Best Possible Self; Positive Psychology Intervention; Best Possible Self; Positive Psychology Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Be between 18 and 70 years old.
• Be willing to participate in the study.
• Have an e-mail address.

Exclusion Criteria

• Presence of severe physical illness.
• Presence of psychological disorders.
• Be receiving psychological treatment.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 70 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Universitat Jaume I

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Cristina Botella, Professor

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Universitat Jaume I

Juana M Bretón, Assistant Professor

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Universitat Jaume I

Angel Enrique, PhD student

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Universitat Jaume I

Locations

University Jaume I

Castellon, Castellón, Spain

Countries

Spain

References

Botella C, Riva G, Gaggioli A, Wiederhold BK, Alcaniz M, Banos RM. The present and future of positive technologies. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2012 Feb;15(2):78-84. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2011.0140. Epub 2011 Dec 9.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 22149078 (View on PubMed)

Meevissen YM, Peters ML, Alberts HJ. Become more optimistic by imagining a best possible self: effects of a two week intervention. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 2011 Sep;42(3):371-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2011.02.012. Epub 2011 Mar 2.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 21450262 (View on PubMed)

Peters, M. L., Flink, I. K., Boersma, K. y Linton, S. J. (2010). Manipulating optimism: Can imagining a best possible self be used to increase positive future expectancies? The Journal of Positive Psychology, 5(3), 204-211.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

Sheldon, K. M., y Lyubomirsky, S. (2006). How to increase and sustain positive emotion: The effects of expressing gratitude and visualizing best possible selves. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 1(2), 73-82.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

Baños, R. M., Etchemendy, E., Farfallini, L., García-Palacios, A., Quero, S., & Botella, C. (2014). EARTH of Well-Being System: A pilot study of an Information and Communication Technology-based positive psychology intervention. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 9(6), 482-488.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

Related Links

http://www.labpsitec.uji.es

Laboratory of Psychology and Technology of the Universitat Jaume I

Other Identifiers

UJaimeI08

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id