Mind-body Interventions in Cardiac Patients

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Acute Coronary Syndrome; Congestive Heart Failure
• Interventions: Other: Positive Psychology; Behavioral: Relaxation Response; Behavioral: Recollection

• Registration Number: NCT01270568
• Lead Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital

Brief Summary

This study is investigating whether a series of psychological exercises, called positive psychology, provides benefit to patients who have been hospitalized for heart disease (an 'acute coronary syndrome' or heart failure).

In this study, subjects are randomly assigned to complete 8 positive psychology exercises over 8 weeks, or to complete different exercises in control groups.

We hypothesize that patients who are assigned to the positive psychology tasks will be able to complete the exercises at a high rate, will feel that the exercises were easy to perform, and will have greater improvements of optimism, anxiety, mood, and health-related quality of life than subjects in the control conditions.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2010-03
• Status Verified: 2011-01
• Primary Completion: 2011-01
• Study Completion: 2011-01
• Study First Submitted: 2011-01-03
• Study First Submitted QC: 2011-01-03
• Study First Posted: 2011-01-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2011-01-20
• Last Update Posted: 2011-01-21

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 60

Inclusion Criteria

• Hospitalization at Massachusetts General Hospital for an acute coronary syndrome or congestive heart failure
• Able to read/write in English
• Have working home or cellular phone

Exclusion Criteria

• Cognitive disorder
• Medical condition likely to lead to death within 6 months
• Illness leading to inabilty to consent or complete study exercises
• Current or prior participation in positive psychology interventions

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Positive Psychology	Positive Psychology	8 weekly positive psychology exercises
Relaxation Response	Relaxation Response	Meditation-based treatment
Recollection	Recollection	Recollection of daily events, recorded weekly

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Feasiblity	8 weeks	Percentage of exercises completed in the 8 week period

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Optimism	8 weeks	Self-report (on Likert scale) of optimism
Happiness	8 week	Score on Subjective Happiness Scale Score on Happiness subscale of CES-D
Depression	8 weeks	Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)
Anxiety	8 weeks	Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale--Anxiety subscale
Mental-health related quality of life	8 weeks	SF-12 Mental Component Score

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Massachusetts General Hospital; 🇺🇸 Boston, Massachusetts, United States