A Pilot Study of Positive Affect Training

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Affect (Mental Function), Compassion

In brief

The primary objective of this study is a proof-of-concept study to test whether a novel mindfulness based intervention, Positive Affect Training (PAT), can enhance positive affect and compassion, and decrease negative affect and feelings of depression. PAT involves a combination of practicing mindfulness meditation and loving-kindness meditation in groups. The goal of the research is to test the initial feasibility and efficacy in increasing positive affect and decreasing negative affect in individuals recruited from the general community who experience negative affect. If the training proves to be successful, we will test the intervention, in additional studies, on individuals with dysthymic disorder and other clinical disorders. PAT is a cost-effective, non-invasive intervention. Therefore if effective, it could be an alternative or supplemental intervention option to existing psychotherapy for dysthymic disorder.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT01853098

Run by

Boston University Charles River Campus

People needed

10

Starts

2013-09-01

Expected to finish

2015-05-01

Last updated by the study team

2018-01-18

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Responds positively to the question on the recruitment material (flyer and posting): "Have you been feeling depressed or in a low mood for most of the day, more days than not, nearly every day for 1 year or longer?"
• Must have a negative affect scale score of the PANAS of at least 21.6 (1 SD above the mean of normative sample)

You may not qualify if…

• Participants with a BDI score of 30 or higher (more than moderate depression) will be excluded.
• Participants who are at risk of harming themselves will be excluded from participating in the study. Suicidality will be assessed after obtaining consent during the screening visit. In addition, the Beck Depression Inventory will be examined for self-reported suidicality. If a participant is found to have suicidal ideation, the PI will be contacted immediately and appropriate follow-up care will be provided by referring the participant to the ER.
• Participants will be assessed through a phone screen using questions from the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule (ADIS) for disorders that could impose a safety risk for the participants or others (e.g., bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc). Subjects who endorse "yes" responses to phone screen items will be excluded.
• Participants who are receiving any psychiatric or psychological treatment for a mood or anxiety disorder at the time of the assessment will be excluded from the study. Participants who initiate such treatments while being enrolled in the study will be closely monitored. These participants will be allowed to remain in the study, but will later be excluded from the data analyses. They are allowed to remain in the study for ethical reasons and because the present trial is a proof-of-concept study and not a clinical trial.

Where it is running

• Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders at Boston University — Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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