Effects of Social Exclusion in The Context of Chronic Embitterment (EMBEX)

University of Bern

Status: Completed

Conditions: Emotional Stress; Embitterment

Treatments: Other: Mindfulness: Word Recognition Task; Other: Cyberball: Player Exclusion; Other: Cyberball: Other Exclusion; Other: Mindfulness: Emotion Regulation Task

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04350515

EMBEX

Details and patient eligibility

About

This experimental, anonymous labor study aims to examine how experiences of social exclusion influence individuals in their fairness-behaviour, psychophysical reactions, and emotion regulation depending on their extent of bitterness. Points given for fairness reasons, just world belief, rejection sensitivity, well-being, cognitive emotion regulation strategies, and heart rate variability (HRV) are measured and analyzed using structural equation modeling and multiple regression.

Full description

Embitterment is defined as an emotional response due to an event which is subjectively perceived as unjust. Nonetheless, there is little empiric evidence of unjust behaviour by others in the interpersonal context that triggers embitterment reactions. Ostracism, is an act where a person is excluded from a social environment without any reasons. This experimental labor study examines how the experiences of this form of social exclusion influences individuals depending on their self-evaluated embitterment. That is, fairness-behaviour is assessed as well as changes in hearth rate variability.

Enrollment: 69 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• German language, 18 years old, no cardiovascular disease
• The participation in the anonymous labor study is voluntary, participants gave consent to use the data with their participation.

Exclusion criteria

• None

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Sequential Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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69 participants in 2 patient groups

Cyberball: Other Exclusion

Experimental group

Description:

Cyberball Paradigm - the avatar will be excluded by the player

Treatment:

Other: Mindfulness: Emotion Regulation Task

Other: Cyberball: Other Exclusion

Other: Mindfulness: Word Recognition Task

Cyberball: Player Exclusion

Experimental group

Description:

Cyberball Paradigm - the player will be excluded by the other players

Treatment:

Other: Mindfulness: Emotion Regulation Task

Other: Cyberball: Player Exclusion

Other: Mindfulness: Word Recognition Task