Emotion Regulation and Emotion Perception

Duke University91 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of a brief, emotion regulation intervention on the ability to perceive other people's emotions.

Decision to close enrollment was made on January 2, 2020.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Emotions

Interventions

Mindful BreathingBEHAVIORAL

Training in a mindful breathing skill that reduces emotional distress

HabituationBEHAVIORAL

An exposure procedure that reduces emotional distress through habituation

ControlBEHAVIORAL

No emotion regulation intervention, placebo

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 55 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. ages 18-55; 2. have a smartphone and agree to receive text-messages; 3. have difficulty with their relationships or social interactions; 4. high emotion dysregulation, assessed with the Difficulties with Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS)(Gratz \& Roemer, 2004) with scores over 90. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Current mania; 2. Meets full criteria for any current psychotic disorder; 3. Currently/chronically homeless; 4. Current suicidal ideation; 5. Psychiatric hospitalization within past 6 months; 6. Unable to read, blind or deaf. Our previous study recruited only participants who were currently in treatment, but this study will include both participants who are currently in treatment, as well as those who are not in treatment. 7. high self-reported autistic traits, as assessed by the Autism Spectrum Quotient (Auyeung \& Baron-Cohen, 2012).

Locations (1)

Duke University Medical Center

Durham, North Carolina, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

The Ability to Perceive Negative and Positive Emotional Expressions, as Measured by a Behavioral Computer-based Assessment

Emotion perception is measured by a computer-based behavioral assessment during the laboratory session. Scores for negative emotional expressions range from 0-100%, with higher scores indicating greater emotion perception accuracy.

Time frame: During the laboratory experiment (week 1)

Changes in Emotion Perception, as Measured by a Phone-based Behavioral Assessment

Perception of positive emotional expressions and negative emotional expressions are measured by a behavioral phone-based assessment, delivered multiple times over one week via mobile phones. Scores for ratings of emotional valence range from 0-9, with higher scores as more positive emotional valence and lower scores as more negative emotional valence.

Time frame: After the one week of phone-based intervention

Secondary Outcomes

Change in Emotional Distress, as Measured by Subjective Units of Distress (SUDS)

SUDS are measured on a 10-point Likert self-report scale of Subjective Units of Distress, ranging from 0-9. Scores are changes in SUDS ratings from before hearing the tone to after the tone, with greater scores indicating greater reductions in distress (positive outcomes). SUDS score was evaluated at the beginning of the laboratory experiment, and then at the very end of the lab experiment. The change score was calculated by subtracting the beginning score from the end score.

Time frame: Beginning of Week one laboratory experiment, End of Week one laboratory experiment

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.