HappinessNCT02570685
Psychosocial Benefits of Gratitude Journals
A study testing Reflective Interpersonal Gratitude and Reflective-Behavioral Gratitude in people with Happiness, run by University of Limerick at 1 site in Ireland.
Trial summary
This randomized controlled study will examine the effects of different interpersonal gratitude journals compared to a neutral control journal on psycho social outcomes. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Happiness
- What is being tested?
- Reflective Interpersonal Gratitude and Reflective-Behavioral Gratitude
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 192 participants
- Where
- 1 siteIreland
- Study dates
- Oct 2015to Mar 2016
- 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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- English language proficiency
Who cannot join
- under the age of 18
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Psychosocial Benefits of Gratitude Journals: A Randomized Controlled Intervention Trial
This randomized controlled study will examine the effects of different interpersonal gratitude journals compared to a neutral control journal on psycho social outcomes.
Read the detailed description
This randomized controlled study will examine the effect of a) a reflective interpersonal gratitude journal, and b) an reflective and behavioral interpersonal gratitude journal, versus (c) an active control journal, on life satisfaction and other secondary outcomes. Explanatory mechanisms will be tested utilizing the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of these three conditions with three week, one month and three month follow-up assessments.
- Conditions
- Happiness
- Being tested
- Reflective Interpersonal Gratitude, Reflective-Behavioral Gratitude, Neutral Control Journal
- Keywords
- Gratitude Intervention, positive emotion, friendships, positive psychology, life satisfaction
- Medical subject headings
- Personal Satisfaction
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Reflective Interpersonal GratitudeBehavioural
Participants were given the following instructions in their journal: Writing is a great way to reflect on your daily events, helping to look back and focus on the good things in our lives. There are many things in our lives, big and small, which we might be grateful for. For the next three weeks, 3 times a week (9 days in total), reflect back on your day and think of the people you met and interacted with and are grateful for. Please write down in the space provided a number of positive social interactions over the day or friendships/relationships you are grateful for…..
Reflective-Behavioral GratitudeBehavioural
Participants were given the following identical instructions as the reflective journal in addition to this "At the end of each week, express this gratitude to a friend of your choice face-to-face or through e-mail, facebook, a kind note, tell him/her how much you appreciate something specific that he/she does and reflect on how your friend's reaction and how you feel."
Neutral Control JournalBehavioural
Writing is a great way to reflect on your daily events, helping to look back and reflect on our lives. For the next three weeks, 3 times a week (9 days in total), please write in the spaces provided things that happened during the day.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Reflective Interpersonal Gratitude | Experimental | An interpersonal gratitude journal, designed to foster gratitude for one's existing social relationships, by writing and reflecting on people and positive daily encounters for which one is grateful. Receives: Behavioral: Reflective Interpersonal Gratitude |
| Reflective-Behavioral Gratitude | Experimental | An interpersonal gratitude journal, designed to foster gratitude for one's existing social relationships, by writing and reflecting on people and positive daily encounters for which one is grateful. In addition participants are asked to choose a friend express this gratitude to them at the end of each week. Receives: Behavioral: Reflective-Behavioral Gratitude |
| Neutral Control Journal | Active comparator | Write about and reflect on things that occurred over the course of the day. Receives: Behavioral: Neutral Control Journal |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Changes in Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Diener, E. D., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985).
Used to assess changes in life satisfaction levels over the course of the intervention and follow-ups.
Measured: Baseline, immediate post-intervention at three weeks,1 month, 3 months
Secondary outcomes (2)
National Institute of Health Social Relationships Companionship Scale which assess Friendship Quality and Loneliness. Cyranowski, J. M., Zill, N., Bode, R., Butt, Z., Kelly, M. A., Pilkonis, P. A., & Cella, D. (2013).
Used to assess changes in social relationships over the course of the intervention and follow-ups.
Measured: Baseline, immediate post-intervention at three weeks,1 month, 3 months
The Gratitude Questionnaire-Six Item Form (GQ-6) McCullough, M. E., Emmons, R. A., & Tsang, J. (2002).
Used to assess changes in gratitude levels over the course of the intervention and follow-ups.
Measured: Baseline, immediate post-intervention at three weeks,1 month, 3 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Oct 2015 (estimated)
- Study startOct 2015
- Primary completionMar 2016
- Study completionMar 2016
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for HappinessStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 192 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Limerick
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Brenda O'Connell, University of Limerick
- Investigators
- Brenda O' Connell, B.A, Principal investigator, University of LimerickStephen Gallagher, PhD, Study director, University of LimerickDeirdre O'Shea, PhD, Study director, University of Limerick
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02570685
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- GratitudeJournal2015
- Status last verified
- Mar 2016
- First submitted
- 6 Oct 2015
- Last updated
- 2 Mar 2016
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Mar 2016. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Psychosocial Benefits of Gratitude Journals: A Randomized Controlled Intervention Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02570685
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- GratitudeJournal2015
- Conditions
- Happiness
- Keywords
- Gratitude Intervention, positive emotion, friendships, positive psychology, life satisfaction
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 192 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of LimerickUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Oct 2015
- Primary completion
- Mar 2016 (actual)
- Study completion
- Mar 2016 (actual)
- First posted
- 7 Oct 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.
This randomized controlled study will examine the effects of different interpersonal gratitude journals compared to a neutral control journal on psycho social outcomes.
Detailed description
This randomized controlled study will examine the effect of a) a reflective interpersonal gratitude journal, and b) an reflective and behavioral interpersonal gratitude journal, versus (c) an active control journal, on life satisfaction and other secondary outcomes. Explanatory mechanisms will be tested utilizing the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of these three conditions with three week, one month and three month follow-up assessments.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Reflective Interpersonal Gratitude | Experimental | Behavioral: Reflective Interpersonal GratitudeAn interpersonal gratitude journal, designed to foster gratitude for one's existing social relationships, by writing and reflecting on people and positive daily encounters for which one is grateful. |
| Reflective-Behavioral Gratitude | Experimental | Behavioral: Reflective-Behavioral GratitudeAn interpersonal gratitude journal, designed to foster gratitude for one's existing social relationships, by writing and reflecting on people and positive daily encounters for which one is grateful. In addition participants are asked to choose a friend express this gratitude to them at the end of each week. |
| Neutral Control Journal | Active comparator | Behavioral: Neutral Control JournalWrite about and reflect on things that occurred over the course of the day. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- English language proficiency
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- under the age of 18
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Reflective Interpersonal GratitudeParticipants were given the following instructions in their journal: Writing is a great way to reflect on your daily events, helping to look back and focus on the good things in our lives. There are many things in our lives, big and small, which we might be grateful for. For the next three weeks, 3 times a week (9 days in total), reflect back on your day and think of the people you met and interacted with and are grateful for. Please write down in the space provided a number of positive social interactions over the day or friendships/relationships you are grateful for….. | Behavioural | Reflective Interpersonal Gratitude |
| Reflective-Behavioral GratitudeParticipants were given the following identical instructions as the reflective journal in addition to this "At the end of each week, express this gratitude to a friend of your choice face-to-face or through e-mail, facebook, a kind note, tell him/her how much you appreciate something specific that he/she does and reflect on how your friend's reaction and how you feel." | Behavioural | Reflective-Behavioral Gratitude |
| Neutral Control JournalWriting is a great way to reflect on your daily events, helping to look back and reflect on our lives. For the next three weeks, 3 times a week (9 days in total), please write in the spaces provided things that happened during the day. | Behavioural | Neutral Control Journal |
Primary outcome
Changes in Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Diener, E. D., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985).
Time frame: Baseline, immediate post-intervention at three weeks,1 month, 3 months
Used to assess changes in life satisfaction levels over the course of the intervention and follow-ups.
2 secondary outcomes
National Institute of Health Social Relationships Companionship Scale which assess Friendship Quality and Loneliness. Cyranowski, J. M., Zill, N., Bode, R., Butt, Z., Kelly, M. A., Pilkonis, P. A., & Cella, D. (2013).
Time frame: Baseline, immediate post-intervention at three weeks,1 month, 3 months
The Gratitude Questionnaire-Six Item Form (GQ-6) McCullough, M. E., Emmons, R. A., & Tsang, J. (2002).
Time frame: Baseline, immediate post-intervention at three weeks,1 month, 3 months
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 2 Mar 2016.
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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.
Brenda O' Connell, B.A principal investigator
University of Limerick
Stephen Gallagher, PhD study director
University of Limerick
Deirdre O'Shea, PhD study director
University of Limerick
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Reflective Interpersonal Gratitude and Reflective-Behavioral Gratitude in people with Happiness, run by University of Limerick at 1 site in Ireland.
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 1 inclusion and 1 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 2 Mar 2016. 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 Ireland. 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. 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?
Changes in Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Diener, E. D., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). (time frame: Baseline, immediate post-intervention at three weeks,1 month, 3 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 2 Mar 2016.