Couples' Affect in Relationships Study (Cares)

University of Wisconsin (UW)

Status: Begins enrollment this month

Conditions: Depression Disorders

Treatments: Device: well-being app; Behavioral: List of well-being resources

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06907654

EDUC/COUNSELING PSYCH (Other Identifier)

A171600 (Other Identifier)

2025-0357

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this clinical trial is to find out whether learning about well-being impacts the thoughts and feelings of romantic couples. The main question it aims to answer is:

• Does gaining knowledge about well-being positively impact individuals and their romantic relationships?

Participants will complete online surveys about their thoughts and feelings.

Full description

This study will deliver a meditation-based mobile intervention (The Healthy Minds Program) to one member of a long-term romantic couple and will assess for relationship satisfaction/distress, well-being, and mindfulness in both the primary participant and their partner. The control group will receive a list of well-being-based psychoeducation resources.

Enrollment: 2,000 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age ≥ 18 years
• Be either married, living together, OR in a dating relationship for at least 12 months
• Proficiency in English
• US citizen or permanent resident
• If non-monogamous, must be able to enroll in the study with a primary partner with whom they spend the majority of their time.
• Use of a smartphone (primary participant only)
• Depression symptoms (≥ 5 on PHQ-9; primary participant only)

Exclusion criteria

• Severe physical or sexual relationship aggression during the past 6 months (any item endorsement on 5-item severe IPV screener)
• Endorsement of active suicidality
• History of psychosis or mania
• Prior use of the Healthy Minds Program app
• Prior significant experience with meditation
• Severe hearing impairment that would interfere with the use of an audio-based intervention (primary participant only)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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2,000 participants in 3 patient groups

The Healthy Minds Program (HMP) mobile application

Experimental group

Description:

Primary participants in the HMP group will be instructed to complete a 4-week intervention through the app.

Treatment:

Device: well-being app

List of well-being resources

Experimental group

Description:

Primary participants will be instructed to use a curated list of well-being resources.

Treatment:

Behavioral: List of well-being resources

Partner - Surveys only

No Intervention group

Description:

Partner participants will complete surveys their thoughts and feelings.