Positive Emotions Training (PoET) as an Online Intervention to Improve Mental Health: a Feasibility Study

NCT ID: NCT05737251

Last Updated: 2023-02-21

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 174 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2022-03-18
• Study Completion Date: 2022-06-20

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.

Conditions

Positive Emotions; Mental Health

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

PoET Group

Participants received two sessions of PoET and filled out the questionnaires.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

PoET

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

PoET consists of two online-sessions, each 3.5 hours within groups of 30 people. The following lessons regarding positive psychology constructs were conducted (including short information on each construct and specific exercises): happiness, hope, humour, optimism, gratitude, self-efficacy, flow, meaningfulness, forgiveness, spirituality and resilience.

Control Group

Participants only filled out the questionnaires.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

PoET

PoET consists of two online-sessions, each 3.5 hours within groups of 30 people. The following lessons regarding positive psychology constructs were conducted (including short information on each construct and specific exercises): happiness, hope, humour, optimism, gratitude, self-efficacy, flow, meaningfulness, forgiveness, spirituality and resilience.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

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

Exclusion Criteria

• none

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

Sponsors

Ruhr University of Bochum

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Lara Niemann

Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Clinical Psychology

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Christina Totzeck, Dr.

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Ruhr-University Bochum

Locations

Ruhr-University Bochum

Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Countries

Germany

References

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.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 37580658 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

PoET101

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id