Positive Affect Regulation sKills at Northwestern University

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Anxiety; Depression; Social Isolation
• Interventions: Behavioral: Positive Emotion Skills Course

• Registration Number: NCT04367922
• Lead Sponsor: Northwestern University

Brief Summary

The Positive Affect Regulation sKills (PARK) Course is an online program containing a series of positive emotion skills for individuals experiencing stress and distress as a result of COVID-19 and the return to "normal." The study specifically targets positive emotion, and offers an array of skills in a self-guided online delivery platform, making the program accessible and convenient in confusing and stressful times.

Our main aims are:

Aim 1: To explore the effects of PARK on anxiety, depression, feelings of social isolation, positive affect, and a sense of meaning and purpose.

Aim 2: To test whether age or gender moderate the effects of the program.

Detailed Description

The goal of the proposed program, PARK, is to reduce feelings of anxiety, depression, and social isolation, as well as increase well-being and a sense of meaning and purpose through the practice of positive emotion skills via a self-guided online platform. We will compare baseline scores on PROMIS measures of Anxiety, Depression, Social Isolation, Meaning and Purpose, and Positive Emotion to scores after completing the online course (approximately 8 weeks later), and again at 6 months post-baseline.

Research will be based in Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine through the Department of Medical Social Sciences (MSS), with all study procedures conducted online. Eligibility screening, consent, and assessments will be conducted on REDCap. For the positive skills course (including weekly lessons and daily skills practice) and daily emotion check-ins, consenting participants will receive access to the online PARK platform, hosted by BrightOutcome.

The skills will be delivered over approximately 6 weeks, and individuals can participate from any device and location with internet access.

Basic Information
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Recruitment & Eligibility
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Study & Design
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Trial Locations

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2020-04-27
• Study First Submitted: 2020-04-27
• Study First Submitted QC: 2020-04-27
• Study First Posted: 2020-04-29
• Primary Completion: 2023-12-31
• Study Completion: 2023-12-31
• Status Verified: 2024-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-04-22
• Last Update Posted: 2024-04-24

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 1000

Inclusion Criteria

• At least 18 years of age
• Speaks and reads English
• Able to access the online platform through their phone, a public device (i.e., at the library) or at home.
• Lives in US

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Exclusion Criteria

• Inability to communicate in English
• Lives outside the US
• Under 18 years of age

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Positive emotion skills invervention	Positive Emotion Skills Course	Participants will go through a 6-week positive emotion skills course where 1 new skill opens each week.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in anxiety	Baseline, 6 weeks, 6 months	Assessed using PROMIS Anxiety (CAT)
Change in depression	Baseline, 6 weeks, 6 months	Assessed using PROMIS Depression (CAT)
Change in positive affect	Baseline, 6 weeks, 6 months	Assessed using PROMIS Positive Affect (CAT)
Change in feelings of social isolation	Baseline, 6 weeks, 6 months	Assessed using PROMIS Social Isolation (CAT)
Change in sense of meaning and purpose	Baseline, 6 weeks, 6 months	Assessed using PROMIS Meaning and Purpose (CAT)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Northwestern University; 🇺🇸 Chicago, Illinois, United States