Comparing the Effectiveness of Reappraisal Strategies in Adult Participants

Ibn Haldun University

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Depressive Symptoms; Anxiety Disorders and Symptoms; Emotional Dysregulation; Anxiety; Sadness

Treatments: Behavioral: Active Control; Behavioral: Reconstrual Strategy Training; Behavioral: Repurposing Strategy Training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07008209

E-71395021-050.04-50851

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn which reappraisal strategy works better to reduce sadness and anxiety in emerging adults. The main questions it aims to answer are:

What is the effect of emotion regulation strategies (reconstrual, repurposing) on short term negative emotions (anxiety, sadness)?

Does the effectiveness of these strategies vary depending on the type of emotion (anxiety vs. sadness)?

Are reconstrual and repurposing more effective compared to active and passive control conditions?

What is the effect of these strategies on short-term positive emotions (e.g., hope, happiness)?

Researchers will compare reconstrual and repurposing strategies to see which one is more effective in improving emotional outcomes.

Participants will:

be randomly assigned to one of eight conditions in a 4 (Regulation Strategy: Reconstrual, Repurposing, Active Control, Passive Control) × 2 (Emotion Type: Sadness vs. Anxiety) factorial design.

Complete online tasks and surveys about their emotions

Full description

This study evaluates the effectiveness of two cognitive reappraisal strategies-reconstrual (reinterpreting the meaning of an event) and repurposing (modifying the personal goal related to the event)-in reducing negative affect and enhancing positive affect in response to emotion-evoking scenarios in emerging adults.

Participants (at least N = 240) will be randomly assigned to one of eight groups in a 2 (Emotion: Sadness vs. Anxiety) × 4 (Strategy: Reconstrual, Repurposing, Active Control, Passive Control) between-subjects factorial design. Each participant will complete standardized emotional induction tasks via written scenarios, followed by their assigned intervention.

Hypotheses

H1: Negative emotions (sadness or anxiety) will significantly decrease following the intervention in the reconstrual and repurposing groups compared to the active and passive control groups. (Main effect of strategy on negative affect)

H2: Positive emotions will increase more in the reconstrual and repurposing groups compared to the passive control group. (Main effect of strategy on positive affect)

H3 (Exploratory): The effectiveness of reconstrual and repurposing strategies may vary by emotion type:

Repurposing may be more effective in sadness scenarios.

Reconstrual may be more effective in anxiety scenarios. (Emotion Type × Strategy interaction)

H4: No significant emotional change is expected in the passive control group. (No time effect)

Study Design

Design Type: Experimental, between-subjects factorial design Design Structure: 2 (Emotion Type: Sadness vs. Anxiety) × 4 (Strategy Condition: Reconstrual, Repurposing, Active Control, Passive Control) Participants: Minimum N = 240 (n = 30 per group), emerging adults (ages ~18-30) Randomization: Random assignment to 1 of 8 groups Blinding: Participants are blind to condition purpose Type of Analysis: Mixed ANOVA

Within-Subject Factor: Time (Post-Scenario vs. Post-Intervention) Between-Subject Factors: Emotion Type × Strategy Group Dependent Variables: Emotional ratings post-intervention (Negative affect (VAS/SAM: anxiety, sadness); Positive affect (VAS/SAM).

Study Flow

1. Initial Assessment Demographics: Only name and age Baseline measures: Scale for contextual reappraisal (SCORE; for trait-level reconstrual and repurposing), GAD-7, PHQ-9

2. Neutral Stimulus A standardized neutral video from Samson et al. (2016) study.

3. Baseline Emotion Assesments: Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)

4. Random Group Assignment

   Participants randomly assigned to one of eight groups (n=30 per group):

   Sadness - Reconstrual

   Sadness - Repurposing

   Sadness - Active Control

   Sadness - Passive Control

   Anxiety - Reconstrual

   Anxiety - Repurposing

   Anxiety - Active Control

   Anxiety - Passive Control

5. Training Phase Strategy-specific training with a minimum 90-second reading time enforced

   Practice vignette with 30-second enforced reading and comprehension check

   Correct answers allow progression; incorrect answers trigger explanation and acknowledgment before continuing

   Participants rate prior use of the trained strategy in daily life

6. Scenario Exposure Participants read and imagine a standardized written scenario (sadness or anxiety) matched for intensity and controllability (based on pilot data)

40-second enforced reading time

7. Self-Assessment and Rating VAS and SAM administered

Ratings of scenario imaginability and controllability (0-100 scale)

Participants write their first negative thoughts when imagining the scenario

8. Application Phase Participants apply assigned emotion regulation strategy with 90-second minimum enforced duration

Written brief explanation of alternative thoughts used

Post-application ratings with VAS and SAM

Participants rate effectiveness and belief in their reappraisal thoughts (0-100 scale)

9. Manipulation Check In the form of two multiple-choice questions: Participants will be asked to select the instruction that best matched the guideline they received at the beginning of the experiment and to identify the general topic of the scenario they had visualized.

10. Demographics: Exclusion criteria related questions 11. Debriefing Participants view debriefing statement

Enrollment: 240 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Aged 18-30 years
• Fluent in Turkish
• No current psychiatric treatment or diagnosis (self-reported)
• Willingness to participate and provide informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• History of severe psychiatric or neurological disorders
• Current substance use disorder

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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240 participants in 8 patient groups

Sadness - Reconstrual

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this arm are exposed to sadness-related scenario and trained to use the reconstrual strategy, which involves reinterpreting the meaning of the situation to reduce negative emotions. Training is delivered online via Qualtrics and includes practice vignette. After training, participants apply reconstrual to the scenario to regulate their emotional response.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Reconstrual Strategy Training

Sadness - Repurposing

Experimental group

Description:

Participants view sadness-related scenario and receive training in repurposing, which focuses on changing the goal to alleviate negative feelings. Training and practice exercises are provided online through Qualtrics before applying the strategy to the scenario.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Repurposing Strategy Training

Sadness - Active Control

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants are presented with sadness-related scenario followed by a writing distraction task designed to divert attention from negative emotions. This arm controls for the effect of engaging in an active cognitive task unrelated to emotion regulation.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Active Control

Sadness - Passive Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants view sadness-related scenario but do not receive any emotion regulation training or distraction tasks. This arm serves as a baseline to measure natural emotional change over time.

Anxiety - Reconstrual

Experimental group

Description:

Participants are trained in reconstrual to reinterpret and reduce the perceived threat or negative appraisal of the situation and exposed to anxiety-inducing scenario. The online training includes practice vignette, followed by application of the strategy to the scenario.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Reconstrual Strategy Training

Anxiety - Repurposing

Experimental group

Description:

Participants view anxiety-related scenarios and receive training in repurposing, which focuses on changing the goal to alleviate negative feelings. Training and practice exercises are provided online through Qualtrics before applying the strategy to the scenario.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Repurposing Strategy Training

Anxiety - Active Control

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants are presented with anxiety-related scenario followed by a writing distraction task designed to divert attention from negative emotions. This arm controls for the effect of engaging in an active cognitive task unrelated to emotion regulation.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Active Control

Anxiety - Passive Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants view anxiety-related scenario but do not receive any emotion regulation training or distraction tasks. This arm serves as a baseline to measure natural emotional change over time.