Neural Mechanisms of Enhancing Emotion Regulation in Bereaved Spouses

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Affect, Bereavement, Emotions, Depressive Symptoms, Grief

In brief

This study investigates the underlying mechanisms of a novel emotion regulation intervention among recently bereaved spouses. More specifically, this study examines how thinking about an emotional stimulus in a more adaptive way can affect the relationship between psychological stress, psychophysiological biomarkers of adaptive cardiac response, and brain activity. The emotion regulation strategy targeted is reappraisal, specifically reappraisal-by-distancing (i.e., thinking about a negative situation in a more objective, impartial way) versus reappraisal-by-reinterpretation (i.e., thinking about a better outcome for a negative situation than what initially seemed apparent). The study seeks to determine if relatively brief, focused reappraisal training in bereaved spouses will result in reduction of self-reported negative affect, increases in respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA; a measure of heart rate variability reflecting adaptive cardiac vagal tone), reduction in blood-based inflammatory biomarkers, and changes in neural activity over time. Reappraisal-by-distancing is expected to lead to greater changes in these variables relative to reappraisal-by-reinterpretation. Additionally, it is expected that across time decreases in self-reported negative affect, increases in RSA, reductions in blood-based inflammatory biomarker levels, and changes in neural activity will in turn lead to reductions in depressive symptoms and grief rumination. Finally, it is expected that distancing training will lead to reductions in depressive symptoms and grief rumination that are mediated by changes in the targeted neurobiological and behavioral mechanisms.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT04822194

Run by

Bryan Denny

People needed

75

Starts

2022-02-02

Expected to finish

2024-05-22

Last updated by the study team

2025-07-09

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Recent loss of romantic partner within the past 5-7 months
• At least 18 years of age
• Minimum score of 25 on the Inventory for Complicated Grief
• Must be able to speak, read, and write in English
• Must be eligible to safely complete MRI scanning

You may not qualify if…

• Death of a second close family member/friend in the past year
• Currently receiving psychotherapy
• Diagnosed with obstructive pulmonary and/or heart disease, diabetes, liver failure, or kidney failure
• Significant visual, auditory, or cognitive impairment
• Divorced within the last year
• Prior participation in a similar emotion regulation training protocol in Dr. Denny's lab
• Any contraindication of MRI scanning (e.g., pregnancy, presence of any non-removable metal on or in the body, implanted medical devices, tattoos, medication patches, orthodontic braces or permanent retainers, hearing aids, history of claustrophobia or breathing disorders)

Where it is running

• Rice University — Houston, Texas, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.