Study of a Positive Psychology Program to Improve Healthy Behaviors After an Acute Coronary Syndrome: Proof of Concept Study
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Sponsor
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Enrollment
- 23
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Rate of Exercise Completion
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 8 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
In this proof-of-concept study, the investigators will assess the ease and usefulness of a positive psychology program in patients with acute coronary syndrome and less-than-optimal adherence to health behaviors. The investigators believe that positive psychology (a field that studies boosting positive emotions rather than simply reducing negative emotions) will help this cardiac population to be more healthy. The investigators want to determine whether this positive psychology program has the potential to be an adjunctive treatment for cardiac populations.
Investigators
Jeff C. Huffman, MD
Director, Cardiac Psychiatry Research Program
Massachusetts General Hospital
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Adult patients admitted to one of three cardiac inpatient units at Massachusetts General Hospital.
- •Primary diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (myocardial infarction or unstable angina).
- •Less-than-optimal adherence to health behaviors. This will be defined as a mean score of less than 15 on the Medical Outcomes Study Specific Adherence Scale (scores range from 3-18, with higher scores indicating better adherence).
Exclusion Criteria
- •Cognitive deficits, assessed via a 6-item cognitive screen used to assess appropriate participation of medically-ill patients in research studies.
- •Patients not prescribed aspirin at discharge.
- •Inability to communicate in English.
- •Inability to participate in physical activity.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Rate of Exercise Completion
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Rate of exercise completion will be measured by the number of participants who have a good rate of completion of exercises. There are 8 exercises in total. A good rate of completion will be defined as an average of 5 or more exercises completed per subject.
Ease of Exercises
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Ease of exercises will be measured by a self-report 10-point Likert scale (0=not easy to complete, 10=very easy to complete). Ease will be defined as an average score of 6 or more on this scale.
Self-reported Psychological Impact of Exercises
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Psychological impact of exercises will be measured by two self-reported 10-point Likert scales. One scale measures optimism after completing the exercise (0=not optimistic, 10=very optimistic), and the other scale measures happiness after completing the exercise (0=not happy, 10=very happy). Psychological impact will be defined as an average score of 6 or more on both of these scales.
Secondary Outcomes
- Objective Psychological Impact of Exercises(8 weeks)