FeelSync: Tailoring Ecological Momentary Assessments and Interventions for Emotion Awareness, Regulation, and Mental Health Outcomes

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Stress

• Registration Number: NCT06986850
• Lead Sponsor: Marta Marciniak

Brief Summary

This study investigates how different ways of reflecting on emotions in daily life influence emotional awareness, emotion regulation, and mental health. Using the FeelSync mobile app over the course of seven days, participants are prompted multiple times a day to report on their current emotional state in various formats (e.g., rating scales, multiple choice, or free text). In some groups, participants also receive brief daily exercises designed to help them practice cognitive reappraisal-a strategy that involves reframing stressful situations to reduce their emotional impact. The study aims to assess not only the overall effectiveness of these reappraisal exercises but also whether the type of emotional self-report used before the intervention affects its impact. All participants complete questionnaires before and after the app phase to track changes in mood, stress, emotional awareness, and regulation.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2025-03-12
• Status Verified: 2025-05
• Study First Submitted: 2025-05-15
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-05-22
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-05-22
• Study First Posted: 2025-05-23
• Last Update Posted: 2025-05-23
• Primary Completion: 2025-08-31
• Study Completion: 2025-08-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 490

Inclusion Criteria

• Owning a smartphone
• Proficiency in English language
• Being a student
• Age between 18 to 30 years old

Exclusion Criteria

• Severe mental health disorder

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: FACTORIAL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Perceived Stress Scale	Baseline (pre-intervention, study day 1) and Follow-up (post intervention, study day 9)	Self-report questionnaire, Range: 0 - 40 Higher scores: Worse outcome (higher perceived stress)
Beck Depression Inventory II	Baseline (pre-intervention, study day 1) and Follow-up (post intervention, study day 9)	Self-report questionnaire, Range: 0 - 63 Higher scores: Worse outcome (more severe depressive symptoms)
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory	Baseline (pre-intervention, study day 1) and Follow-up (post intervention, study day 9)	Self-report questionnaire, \[state scale only\], Range: 20 - 80 Higher scores: Worse outcome (greater state anxiety)
Emotion Regulation Questionnaire	Baseline (pre-intervention, study day 1) and Follow-up (post intervention, study day 9)	Self-report questionnaire, Reappraisal subscale: Range 1 - 7 (mean of 6 items) Higher scores: Better outcome (more frequent use of cognitive reappraisal) Suppression subscale: Range 1 - 7 (mean of 4 items) Higher scores: Worse outcome (more frequent use of suppression)
Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire	Baseline (pre-intervention, study day 1) and Follow-up (post intervention, study day 9)	Self-report questionnaire, Subscale range: 2 - 10 per strategy; Higher scores: On adaptive strategies (e.g., positive reappraisal, putting into perspective): Better outcome On maladaptive strategies (e.g., rumination, catastrophizing): Worse outcome
Toronto Alexithymia Scale	Baseline (pre-intervention, study day 1) and Follow-up (post intervention, study day 9)	Self-report questionnaire, Range: 20 - 100 Higher scores: Worse outcome (greater difficulties in identifying and describing feelings; lower emotional awareness)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Mobile Agnew Relationship Measure	Follow-up (post intervention, study day 9)	Self-report questionnaire, Range: 16-112 Higher scores: Better outcome (stronger perceived therapeutic alliance with the app/intervention)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Erasmus University Rotterdam; 🇳🇱 Rotterdam, Netherlands