The purpose of the study is threefold: 1) to develop a home-based emotional disclosure intervention inducing core elements of change (emotional engagement, cognitive restructuring, and positive future directedness); 2) to examine in a randomized controlled trial in patients with rheumatoid arthritis the induction of the core elements and the feasibility of the intervention for home application; and, 3) to examine the psychological, clinical, and physiological effects of the adapted emotional disclosure intervention and the modulating role of cognitive-emotional change and individual differences in emotion regulation.
Emotional disclosure has been suggested to alleviate psychological and physical stress in chronically ill people. Emotional engagement, cognitive restructuring, and positive future directedness are considered core elements to induce change in emotional disclosure interventions. The aim of our randomized controlled trial in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is to examine the psychological, clinical, and physiological effects of an emotional disclosure intervention adapted for home application and the modulating role of cognitive-emotional change and individual differences in emotion regulation.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
80
Utrecht University, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology
Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
Depressed mood.
Cheerful mood.
Both measures at baseline, 1 week after intervention, and 3 months after intervention.
Feasibility: adherence, compliance with instructions, perceived viability, clinical safety; all measured during or immediately after the intervention).
Induction of core elements: immediate negative affect change, emotion, insight, and optimism word use during the intervention.
Clinical measures: Joint score; Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate; both measures at baseline, 1 week after intervention, and 3 months after intervention.
Physiological measures: 24-h Urinary cortisol; 24-h Urinary noradrenaline; IL-6; IFN-γ; IL-10; all measures at baseline, 1 week after intervention, and 3 months after intervention.
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