A Self-Paced, Web-Based, Positive Emotion Skills Intervention for Reducing Symptoms of Depression: Protocol for Development and Pilot Testing of MARIGOLD
Abstract
Background: Living with elevated symptoms of depression can have debilitating consequences
for an individual’s psychosocial and physical functioning, quality of life, and health
care utilization. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that skills for increasing
positive emotion can be helpful to individuals with depression. Although Web-based
interventions to reduce negative emotion in individuals with depression are available,
these interventions frequently suffer from poor retention and adherence and do not
capitalize on the potential benefits of increasing positive emotion. Objective: The
aim of this study was to develop and test a Web-based positive emotion skills intervention
tailored for individuals living with elevated depressive symptoms, as well as to develop
and test enhancement strategies for increasing retention and adherence to that intervention.
Methods: This study protocol describes the development and testing for Mobile Affect
Regulation Intervention with the Goal of Lowering Depression (MARIGOLD), a Web-based
positive emotion skills intervention, adapted for individuals with elevated depressive
symptomatology. The intervention development is taking place in three phases. In phase
1, we are tailoring an existing positive emotion skills intervention for individuals
with elevated symptoms of depression and are pilot testing the tailored version of
the intervention in a randomized controlled trial with two control conditions (N=60).
In phase 2, we are developing and testing three enhancements aimed at boosting retention
and adherence to the Web-based intervention (N=75): facilitator contact, an online
discussion board, and virtual badges. In phase 3, we are conducting a multifactorial,
nine-arm pilot trial (N=600) to systematically test these enhancement strategies,
individually and in combination. The primary outcome is depressive symptom severity.
Secondary outcomes include positive and negative emotion, psychological well-being,
and coping resources. Results: The project was funded in August 2014, and data collection
was completed in May 2018. Data analysis is currently under way, and the first results
are expected to be submitted for publication in 2018. Conclusions: Findings from this
investigation will enable us to develop an optimal package of intervention content
and enhancement strategies for individuals with elevated symptoms of depression. If
this intervention proves to be effective, it will provide a cost-effective, anonymous,
appealing, and flexible approach for reducing symptoms of depression and improving
psychological adjustment through increasing positive emotion.
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/17327Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.2196/10494Publication Info
Cheung, Elaine O; Addington, Elizabeth L; Bassett, Sarah M; Schuette, Stephanie A;
Shiu, Eva W; Cohn, Michael A; ... Moskowitz, Judith T (2018). A Self-Paced, Web-Based, Positive Emotion Skills Intervention for Reducing Symptoms
of Depression: Protocol for Development and Pilot Testing of MARIGOLD. JMIR Research Protocols, 7(6). pp. e10494-e10494. 10.2196/10494. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/17327.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Stephanie Schuette
Clinical Associate in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

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