Positive EmotionsNCT05737251
Positive Emotions Training (PoET) as an Online Intervention to Improve Mental Health: a Feasibility Study
A study testing PoET in people with Positive Emotions and Mental Health, run by Ruhr University of Bochum at 1 site in Germany.
Trial summary
Positive psychology interventions are known to have an impact on mental health as well as on a number of beneficial characteristics like optimism, gratitude and self-efficacy. The new developed Positive Emotions Training (PoET) is one of the first holistic training programs covering eleven positive psychology… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Positive Emotions, Mental Health
- What is being tested?
- PoET
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 174 participants
- Where
- 1 siteGermany
- Study dates
- 18 Mar 2022to 20 Jun 2022
- 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
- legal age (18)
- ability to use Zoom and all associated technology
Who cannot join
- none
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Positive psychology interventions are known to have an impact on mental health as well as on a number of beneficial characteristics like optimism, gratitude and self-efficacy. The new developed Positive Emotions Training (PoET) is one of the first holistic training programs covering eleven positive psychology constructs. The goal of this study was to test PoET's feasibility in the general population and to assess possible effects on positive and negative mental health factors. Additionally, possible effects on optimism, gratitude, happiness, resilience, and self-efficacy were examined.
Hypotheses:
Read more
- It was hypothesized that participants receiving PoET would show a significant increase in positive mental health factors one month after the second training day.
- It was expected to find a significant decrease in depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms one month after the second training day.
- It was hypothesized that participants in a control group would not show any significant changes in this regard.
Methods:
The sample (n = 101) was allocated to PoET (n = 55) or control (n = 46) which did not receive any treatment. The allocation was neither randomized nor matched. Participants in the PoET group completed a whole of two training sessions (3.5 hours each) that were conducted in an online format (via Zoom) with groups of about 30 people. These sessions included the following positive psychology constructs: happiness, hope, humour, optimism, gratitude, self-efficacy, flow, meaningfulness, forgiveness, spirituality, resilience.
All participants completed positive and negative mental health measures at the beginning of the first training session and at the beginning of the second one as well as 30 days after the second session. Additionally, they had to complete two short items regarding stress and mood after each training session. They were given an exercise booklet with descriptions and explanations for all exercises during the training and at home. The week between the two sessions was called "7-day-challenge" to motivate the participants to try out several exercises at home.
Data was collected pseudonymised via Socisurvey. Data analysis was conducted with RStudio. Two-factorial repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted to test for possible effects of PoET on mental health.
- Conditions
- Positive Emotions, Mental Health
- Being tested
- PoET
- Keywords
- positive emotions, online intervention, positive psychology
- Medical subject headings
- Psychological Well-Being
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
PoETBehavioural
PoET consists of two online-sessions, each 3.5 hours within groups of 30 people. The following lessons regarding positive psychology constructs were conducted (including short information on each construct and specific exercises): happiness, hope, humour, optimism, gratitude, self-efficacy, flow, meaningfulness, forgiveness, spirituality and resilience.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| PoET Group | Experimental | Participants received two sessions of PoET and filled out the questionnaires. Receives: Behavioral: PoET |
| Control Group | No intervention | Participants only filled out the questionnaires. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Changes in Positive Mental Health Scale (3 assessment points)
9 items, 4-point-scale from 0 ("I do not agree ") to 3 ("I agree"), assessing emotional and psychological aspects of wellbeing, higher scores reflect better positive mental health
Measured: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
Changes in Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (3 assessment points)
21 items, 4-point-scale from 0 ("did not apply to me at all") to 3 ("applied to me very much or most of the time"), assessing negative emotional states, higher scores reflect more symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress
Measured: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
Secondary outcomes (5)
Changes in Life Orientation Test-revised (3 assessment points)
10 items, 5-point-scale from 0 ("strongly disagree") to 4 ("strongly agree"), assessing dispositional optimism, higher scores reflect higher dispositional optimism
Measured: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
Changes in Gratitude Questionnaire (3 assessment points)
5 items, 7-point-scale from 1 ("strongly disagree") to 7 ("strongly agree"), assessing gratitude, higher scores reflect a more pronounced sense of gratitude
Measured: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
Changes in Satisfaction With Life Scale (3 assessment points)
5 items, 7-point-scale from 1 ("strongly disagree") to 7 ("strongly agree"), assessing global subjective happiness, higher scores indicate a happier person
Measured: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
Changes in New General Self-Efficacy Scale (3 assessment points)
8 items, 5-point-scale from 1 ("strongly disagree") to 5 ("strongly agree"), assessing how much participants believe in their own abilities, higher scores represent higher self-efficacy
Measured: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
Changes in Brief Resilience Scale (3 assessment points)
6 items, 5-point-scale from 1 ("strongly disagree") to 5 ("strongly agree"), assessing participants' ability to recover from stress despite significant adversity, higher scores reflect higher resilience
Measured: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Feb 2023
- Study start18 Mar 2022
- Primary completion20 Jun 2022
- Study completion20 Jun 2022
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 Positive EmotionsStudies 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
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 174 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Ruhr University of Bochum
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Lara Niemann, Ruhr University of Bochum
- Investigators
- Christina Totzeck, Dr., Study director, Ruhr-University Bochum
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05737251
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- PoET101
- Status last verified
- Feb 2023
- First submitted
- 9 Feb 2023
- Last updated
- 21 Feb 2023
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Niemann L, von Gruner C, Zhang XC, Margraf J, Totzeck C. Positive Emotions Training (PoET) as an online intervention to improve mental health: a feasibility study. BMC Public Health. 2023 Aug 14;23(1):1543. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-16424-x.
PubMed 37580658
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 21 Feb 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Positive Emotions Training (PoET) as an Online Intervention to Improve Mental Health: a Feasibility Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05737251
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PoET101
- Conditions
- Positive Emotions, Mental Health
- Keywords
- positive emotions, online intervention, positive psychology
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 174 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Ruhr University of BochumUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 18 Mar 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 20 Jun 2022 (actual)
- Study completion
- 20 Jun 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 21 Feb 2023 (actual)
- 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.
Positive psychology interventions are known to have an impact on mental health as well as on a number of beneficial characteristics like optimism, gratitude and self-efficacy. The new developed Positive Emotions Training (PoET) is one of the first holistic training programs covering eleven positive psychology constructs. The goal of this study was to test PoET's feasibility in the general population and to assess possible effects on positive and negative mental health factors. Additionally, possible effects on optimism, gratitude, happiness, resilience, and self-efficacy were examined.
Hypotheses:
- It was hypothesized that participants receiving PoET would show a significant increase in positive mental health factors one month after the second training day.
- It was expected to find a significant decrease in depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms one month after the second training day.
- It was hypothesized that participants in a control group would not show any significant changes in this regard.
Methods:
The sample (n = 101) was allocated to PoET (n = 55) or control (n = 46) which did not receive any treatment. The allocation was neither randomized nor matched. Participants in the PoET group completed a whole of two training sessions (3.5 hours each) that were conducted in an online format (via Zoom) with groups of about 30 people. These sessions included the following positive psychology constructs: happiness, hope, humour, optimism, gratitude, self-efficacy, flow, meaningfulness, forgiveness, spirituality, resilience.
All participants completed positive and negative mental health measures at the beginning of the first training session and at the beginning of the second one as well as 30 days after the second session. Additionally, they had to complete two short items regarding stress and mood after each training session. They were given an exercise booklet with descriptions and explanations for all exercises during the training and at home. The week between the two sessions was called "7-day-challenge" to motivate the participants to try out several exercises at home.
Data was collected pseudonymised via Socisurvey. Data analysis was conducted with RStudio. Two-factorial repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted to test for possible effects of PoET on mental health.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| PoET Group | Experimental | Behavioral: PoETParticipants received two sessions of PoET and filled out the questionnaires. |
| Control Group | No intervention | –Participants only filled out the questionnaires. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- legal age (18)
- ability to use Zoom and all associated technology
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- none
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 |
|---|---|---|
| PoETPoET consists of two online-sessions, each 3.5 hours within groups of 30 people. The following lessons regarding positive psychology constructs were conducted (including short information on each construct and specific exercises): happiness, hope, humour, optimism, gratitude, self-efficacy, flow, meaningfulness, forgiveness, spirituality and resilience. | Behavioural | PoET Group |
Primary outcome
Changes in Positive Mental Health Scale (3 assessment points)
Time frame: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
9 items, 4-point-scale from 0 ("I do not agree ") to 3 ("I agree"), assessing emotional and psychological aspects of wellbeing, higher scores reflect better positive mental health
Changes in Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (3 assessment points)
Time frame: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
21 items, 4-point-scale from 0 ("did not apply to me at all") to 3 ("applied to me very much or most of the time"), assessing negative emotional states, higher scores reflect more symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress
5 secondary outcomes
Changes in Life Orientation Test-revised (3 assessment points)
Time frame: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
Changes in Gratitude Questionnaire (3 assessment points)
Time frame: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
Changes in Satisfaction With Life Scale (3 assessment points)
Time frame: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
Changes in New General Self-Efficacy Scale (3 assessment points)
Time frame: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
Changes in Brief Resilience Scale (3 assessment points)
Time frame: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session
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 21 Feb 2023.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 37580658Niemann L, von Gruner C, Zhang XC, Margraf J, Totzeck C. Positive Emotions Training (PoET) as an online intervention to improve mental health: a feasibility study. BMC Public Health. 2023 Aug 14;23(1):1543. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-16424-x.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Positive Emotions
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Promoting Positive Emotions in Adolescents Using Positive Events Training: An Indicated Approach
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Fostering Optimal Regulation of Emotion for Prevention of Secondary Trauma (FOREST)
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Positive Events Training to Enhance Positive Emotions in Adolescents With Elevated Depressive Symptoms: An N=1 Trial
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Do Different Arousal Levels Affect Pressure Pain Thresholds?
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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.
Christina Totzeck, Dr. study director
Ruhr-University Bochum
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing PoET in people with Positive Emotions and Mental Health, run by Ruhr University of Bochum at 1 site in Germany.
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 2 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 21 Feb 2023. 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 Germany. 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 Positive Mental Health Scale (3 assessment points) (time frame: before 1st and 2nd training session, 30 days after 2nd training session). The study lists 2 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 NCT05737251, 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 21 Feb 2023.