Myocardial InfarctionGRAT2015NCT02481544
The Effects of Journaling on Health-Related Mood and Clinical Outcomes in Post-MI Patients
A study testing Gratitude Journaling Plus SOC and Memorable Events Journaling Plus SOC in people with Myocardial Infarction and Psychosocial Factors, run by University of California, San Diego at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Psychosocial factors, including positive affect, finding meaning in the event, and managing emotional distress, influence prognosis following a heart attack or myocardial infarction (MI). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 35 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Myocardial Infarction, Psychosocial Factors
- What is being tested?
- Gratitude Journaling Plus SOC and Memorable Events Journaling Plus SOC
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 108 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Apr 2015to Jan 2019
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 35 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Suffered an MI (ST Elevation MI (STEMI) or Non-ST Elevation MI (NSTEMI) with creatine kinase MB fraction elevation 3 times the upper limits of normal and with ischemic ECG changes within 12 months of baseline testing;
- An EF less than 50% on echocardiogram;
- Clinically stable defined as, no active arrhythmia, no residual ischemia;
- Able to perform light to moderate exercise;
- Able to give informed consent in English;
- Medical clearance by their cardiologist;
- > 35 years of age.
Who cannot join
- Unstable angina;
- Severe valvular disease;
- Oxygen-dependent COPD;
- Recent stroke or significant cerebral neurologic impairment;
- Suicidality with intent or plan;
- Current cancer;
Show all 9Show fewer
- Currently taking mood stabilizers, benzodiazepines or antipsychotics;
- Medications (e.g., systemic steroids) and conditions affecting immune status (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis C, HIV) (Anti-depressant medication is allowed);
- Currently enrolled in another clinical trial.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, California, 92093
About this study
Psychosocial factors, including positive affect, finding meaning in the event, and managing emotional distress, influence prognosis following a heart attack or myocardial infarction (MI). Gratitude, typically defined as a feeling or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive, is associated with higher levels of well-being, and people who are more grateful experience less stress, are less depressed, have higher levels of control over their environment, and more positive ways of coping. The present project will examine the potential benefits of a gratitude intervention (i.e., 8 weeks of gratitude journaling) to increase positive health behaviors, psychological health, and physical functioning in post-MI patients as compared to journaling about memorable events as well as care as usual alone. The investigators will study psychological and physical functioning at baseline, following 8 weeks of gratitude journaling or care as usual, and at 4-month follow-up.
- Conditions
- Myocardial Infarction, Psychosocial Factors
- Being tested
- Gratitude Journaling Plus SOC, Memorable Events Journaling Plus SOC
- Medical subject headings
- Myocardial Infarction
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Gratitude Journaling Plus SOCBehavioural
Memorable Events Journaling Plus SOCBehavioural
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Gratitude Journaling Plus Standard of Care | Experimental | The most often used gratitude intervention consists of journaling, writing lists of things for which the individual is grateful. This technique was first employed and found to be effectual for enhancing wellbeing by Emmons and McCullough and has been suggested to be as effective as methods frequently used in clinical therapy. We are proposing an 8-week intervention in which the participant records 3-5 things for which they are grateful most days of the week. A longer intervention was chosen because Emmons and McCullough (2003) suggest that healthy behavior changes only occurred in a prolonged multi-week intervention. To ensure some conformity in the intervention, instructions that will be used will be similar to Emmons and McCullough (2003): "There are many things in our lives, both large and small, that we might be grateful about. Think back over your day (week) and write down on the lines below up to five things in your life that you are grateful or thankful for." Receives: Behavioral: Gratitude Journaling Plus SOC |
| Memorable Events Journaling Plus Standard of Care | Sham comparator | In the sham control condition, individuals will record "memorable events" with methods identical to the gratitude journaling condition: Patients will be asked to record 3-5 memorable events in a given day, on most days of the week. Patients will be contacted once per week to remind them to continue with the memorable events journal. Patients will be given 2 journals during their first testing session (one journal is for the first four weeks and the second is for the second four weeks of journaling). Patients will be contacted once per week to remind them to continue with gratitude journal writing. Patients will be instructed to record the date of each journal entry next to each new day of journaling Patients will be provided with materials to return their first journal by mail and will and return their second journal at the T2 laboratory testing session. Receives: Behavioral: Memorable Events Journaling Plus SOC |
| Standard of Care | No intervention | SOC consists of medical care that is included in post-MI treatment, such as physician visits and medication adjustments and cardiac rehabilitation. These patients will not have any active intervention, but will undergo the same testing routine as the gratitude intervention group. These patients will be given the opportunity to participate in the gratitude journaling intervention after they have completed the study. Patient records will be evaluated at each timepoint for changes in medications and medical treatment. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Feasibility assessed by Recruitment rates will be recorded and new recruitment strategies will be formulated to overcome barriers presented by decliners for a future study.
Measured: 2 years
Treatment Expectancy & Satisfaction assessed by Treatment expectancy and satisfaction - 6 item credibility/ expectancy questionnaire (CEQ) will be utilized
Measured: 2 years
Retention assessed by Retention (% of drop-outs) will be recorded, and exit interviews will be administered to determine reasons for drop-out.
Measured: 2 years
Adherence assessed by Adherence to intervention will be derived from gratitude journals.
Measured: 2 years
Secondary outcomes (1)
Gratitude
There are three scales that have been developed to measure gratitude, the Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6) (McCullough et al., 2002), Appreciation Scale (Adler \& Fagley, 2005), and Gratitude, Appreciation, and Resentment Test (GRAT). Each scale came from a different concept of gratitude, and in concert they provide a broad definition of gratitude. According to Wood, Maltby, Stewart and Joseph (2008) the three scales comprise 12 sub-scales which measure eight different components of gratitude: (1) grateful affect, (2) appreciation of other people, (3) a focus on what the person has, (4) feelings of awe when encountering beauty, (4) behaviors to express gratitude, (5) focusing on the positive in the present moment, (6) appreciation rising from understanding life is short, (7) a focus on the positive in the present moment, and (8) positive social comparisons.
Measured: 2 years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Jun 2015 (estimated)
- Study startApr 2015
- Primary completionDec 2018
- Study completionJan 2019
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Myocardial InfarctionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of California, San DiegoThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 108 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, San Diego
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- San Diego Veterans Healthcare System
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Paul J. Mills, University of California, San Diego
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02481544
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1R21AT008033-01A1
- Acronym
- GRAT2015
- Status last verified
- Oct 2019
- First submitted
- 23 Jun 2015
- Last updated
- 8 Oct 2019
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Publications
Peterson CT, Lucas J, John-Williams LS, Thompson JW, Moseley MA, Patel S, Peterson SN, Porter V, Schadt EE, Mills PJ, Tanzi RE, Doraiswamy PM, Chopra D. Identification of Altered Metabolomic Profiles Following a Panchakarma-based Ayurvedic Intervention in Healthy Subjects: The Self-Directed Biological Transformation Initiative (SBTI). Sci Rep. 2016 Sep 9;6:32609. doi: 10.1038/srep32609.
PubMed 27611967
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Oct 2019. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effects of Journaling on Health-Related Mood and Clinical Outcomes in Post-MI Patients
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02481544
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- GRAT2015 / 1R21AT008033-01A1
- Conditions
- Myocardial Infarction, Psychosocial Factors
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 108 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, San DiegoUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- San Diego Veterans Healthcare System
- Study start
- Apr 2015
- Primary completion
- Dec 2018 (actual)
- Study completion
- Jan 2019 (actual)
- First posted
- 25 Jun 2015 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Psychosocial factors, including positive affect, finding meaning in the event, and managing emotional distress, influence prognosis following a heart attack or myocardial infarction (MI). Gratitude, typically defined as a feeling or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive, is associated with higher levels of well-being, and people who are more grateful experience less stress, are less depressed, have higher levels of control over their environment, and more positive ways of coping. The present project will examine the potential benefits of a gratitude intervention (i.e., 8 weeks of gratitude journaling) to increase positive health behaviors, psychological health, and physical functioning in post-MI patients as compared to journaling about memorable events as well as care as usual alone. The investigators will study psychological and physical functioning at baseline, following 8 weeks of gratitude journaling or care as usual, and at 4-month follow-up.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Gratitude Journaling Plus Standard of Care | Experimental | Behavioral: Gratitude Journaling Plus SOCThe most often used gratitude intervention consists of journaling, writing lists of things for which the individual is grateful. This technique was first employed and found to be effectual for enhancing wellbeing by Emmons and McCullough and has been suggested to be as effective as methods frequently used in clinical therapy. We are proposing an 8-week intervention in which the participant records 3-5 things for which they are grateful most days of the week. A longer intervention was chosen because Emmons and McCullough (2003) suggest that healthy behavior changes only occurred in a prolonged multi-week intervention. To ensure some conformity in the intervention, instructions that will be used will be similar to Emmons and McCullough (2003): "There are many things in our lives, both large and small, that we might be grateful about. Think back over your day (week) and write down on the lines below up to five things in your life that you are grateful or thankful for." |
| Memorable Events Journaling Plus Standard of Care | Sham comparator | Behavioral: Memorable Events Journaling Plus SOCIn the sham control condition, individuals will record "memorable events" with methods identical to the gratitude journaling condition: Patients will be asked to record 3-5 memorable events in a given day, on most days of the week. Patients will be contacted once per week to remind them to continue with the memorable events journal. Patients will be given 2 journals during their first testing session (one journal is for the first four weeks and the second is for the second four weeks of journaling). Patients will be contacted once per week to remind them to continue with gratitude journal writing. Patients will be instructed to record the date of each journal entry next to each new day of journaling Patients will be provided with materials to return their first journal by mail and will and return their second journal at the T2 laboratory testing session. |
| Standard of Care | No intervention | –SOC consists of medical care that is included in post-MI treatment, such as physician visits and medication adjustments and cardiac rehabilitation. These patients will not have any active intervention, but will undergo the same testing routine as the gratitude intervention group. These patients will be given the opportunity to participate in the gratitude journaling intervention after they have completed the study. Patient records will be evaluated at each timepoint for changes in medications and medical treatment. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 35 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Suffered an MI (ST Elevation MI (STEMI) or Non-ST Elevation MI (NSTEMI) with creatine kinase MB fraction elevation 3 times the upper limits of normal and with ischemic ECG changes within 12 months of baseline testing;
- An EF less than 50% on echocardiogram;
- Clinically stable defined as, no active arrhythmia, no residual ischemia;
- Able to perform light to moderate exercise;
- Able to give informed consent in English;
Key exclusion criteria (9 listed)
- Unstable angina;
- Severe valvular disease;
- Oxygen-dependent COPD;
- Recent stroke or significant cerebral neurologic impairment;
- Suicidality with intent or plan;
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Gratitude Journaling Plus SOC | Behavioural | Gratitude Journaling Plus Standard of Care |
| Memorable Events Journaling Plus SOC | Behavioural | Memorable Events Journaling Plus Standard of Care |
Primary outcome
Feasibility assessed by Recruitment rates will be recorded and new recruitment strategies will be formulated to overcome barriers presented by decliners for a future study.
Time frame: 2 years
Treatment Expectancy & Satisfaction assessed by Treatment expectancy and satisfaction - 6 item credibility/ expectancy questionnaire (CEQ) will be utilized
Time frame: 2 years
Retention assessed by Retention (% of drop-outs) will be recorded, and exit interviews will be administered to determine reasons for drop-out.
Time frame: 2 years
Adherence assessed by Adherence to intervention will be derived from gratitude journals.
Time frame: 2 years
1 secondary outcome
Gratitude
Time frame: 2 years
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 Oct 2019.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 27611967Peterson CT, Lucas J, John-Williams LS, Thompson JW, Moseley MA, Patel S, Peterson SN, Porter V, Schadt EE, Mills PJ, Tanzi RE, Doraiswamy PM, Chopra D. Identification of Altered Metabolomic Profiles Following a Panchakarma-based Ayurvedic Intervention in Healthy Subjects: The Self-Directed Biological Transformation Initiative (SBTI). Sci Rep. 2016 Sep 9;6:32609. doi: 10.1038/srep32609.
Related trials for Myocardial Infarction
Not yet recruitingPhase 4
Roxadustat and Myocardial Injury After Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
Coronary Artery Disease, Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
Active, not recruitingObservational study
A Longitudinal Cohort Study to Evaluate Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Disease in Haiti
Hypertension, Diabetes
Active, not recruitingPhase 3
A Study of Inclisiran to Prevent Cardiovascular Events in High-risk Primary Prevention Patients.
Primary Prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease
Enrolling by invitation
The DANE-HEART Trial - Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography for Primary Prevention
Coronary Atherosclerosis and Other Heart Disease, Cardiovascular Diseases
Not yet recruitingObservational study
Elicit Drugs in Myocardial Infarction
Young Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Gratitude Journaling Plus SOC and Memorable Events Journaling Plus SOC in people with Myocardial Infarction and Psychosocial Factors, run by University of California, San Diego at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 9 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Oct 2019. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Feasibility assessed by Recruitment rates will be recorded and new recruitment strategies will be formulated to overcome barriers presented by decliners for a future study. (time frame: 2 years). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02481544, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Oct 2019.