Behavioral Activation Plus Savoring for University Students

Depression Clinical Trial

Official title:

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Behavioral Activation Plus Savoring for University Students With Positive Valence Dysregulation

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05234476
• Other study ID #: 21-118
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: September 6, 2021
• Est. completion date: June 1, 2022

Study information

• Verified date: February 2022
• Source: Southern Methodist University
• Contact: Divya Kumar, M.A.
• Phone: 2147681767
• Email: divyak[@]smu.edu
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The current investigation aims to examine whether a brief, two-session, virtual behavioral activation plus savoring intervention will increase daily positive emotion in university students.

Description:

Experiences of positive emotions are often unchanged following standard psychotherapy. To address this, the current investigation aims to enhance traditional brief behavioral activation with savoring, an emotion regulation strategy specifically targeting positive emotion, or affect, for university students endorsing low levels of the symptom. Individuals will be randomized to either a two-session behavioral activation plus savoring intervention or two sessions of empathic listening. Daily levels of positive emotions will be assessed throughout the study and for one week prior to and completing the intervention.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 60
• Est. completion date: June 1, 2022
• Est. primary completion date: June 1, 2022
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• University student

• Own a smartphone

• Positive affect score less than 32 on the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Short Form (PANAS-SF)

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Anhedonia
• Depression
• Mood

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Behavioral Activation plus Savoring
Individuals in this intervention will complete two sessions of behavioral activation, where they will be provided psychoeducation on behavioral models of mood, schedule activities, and discuss barriers to completion. Additionally, they will practice savoring as a cognitive strategy to increase positive emotions with a study therapist.
• Empathic Listening
Individuals in the active control condition will complete two sessions of reflecting on tracking their mood and empathic listening with a study therapist.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Southern Methodist University	Dallas	Texas

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Southern Methodist University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Positive Emotions: Modified Differential Emotions Scale (mDES; Fredrickson et al., 2003)	Positive mood, as measured by the mDES, will be collected two times a day. Participants will be asked to rate their level of positive mood in the moment. Positive mood will be collected on a daily basis throughout the study and change in reported positive emotions will be assessed.	Change from first session to post-treatment (14 days)
Secondary	Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)	Change in reported symptoms of positive and negative affect following the intervention	Change from baseline to post-treatment (21 days)
Secondary	Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21)	Change in self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress following the intervention	Change from baseline to post-treatment (21 days)