The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if engaging in a multi-activity positive psychology intervention increases emotional well-being The main aims of this project are to: 1. Test the efficacy of a multi-activity positive psychology intervention for increasing emotional well-being in a racial-ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample. 2. Identify physical and social behavioral mechanisms driving positive psychology intervention effects on emotional well-being change and the durability of these effects over time. 3. Examine physical health outcomes stemming from emotional well-being gains. Participants will: Visit the laboratory three times to complete survey measures and physical assessments. Complete brief survey items three times a day for 10 weeks of the study period. Engage with assigned activities weekly for four weeks of the study period.
Participation will span 20 weeks around a four-week treatment phase. Assessments will involve three lab visits and experience sampling method surveys completed on participants' smart phones in response to short message service (SMS) message alerts. Lab Visit 1 (Baseline): Participants will begin participation with an in-person lab visit held in small groups. This visit will begin with a guided informed consent procedure. Participants will complete baseline self-report measures and physiological assessments and receive procedure instructions. Pre-Intervention Monitoring (weeks 1 \& 2): For two weeks, participants will compete three very brief experience sampling surveys per day. Random Assignment, Treatment and Monitoring (weeks 3,4,5,\& 6): Participants will be randomly assigned to the online four-week Pathways to Happiness treatment condition or a matched activity control condition. All participants will complete the four weeks of activities (either Pathways to Happiness Positive Psychology Intervention (PPI) or control activities) on the Pathways to Happiness platform. They will complete weekly check-in items on the Pathways to Happiness platform to assess their compliance with the activity instructions and their experiences with the activities. Participants in both conditions will continue completing experience sampling surveys during this time. Lab Visit 2 (Post-Test), after week 6: The second lab visit will occur after week six, following the treatment phase. It will involve identical questionnaires and physiological screenings as in the baseline visit. Post-Intervention Monitoring (weeks 7\&8): After the treatment phase, two weeks of post-intervention experience sampling survey monitoring will begin. Waiting Period: Participants will not engage in any formal study activities from weeks 9 to 19. Follow-Up Monitoring (weeks 19-20): Follow-up experience sampling monitoring will commence for the final two weeks of the study, 10 weeks after the previous monitoring period. Lab Visit 3 (Follow-Up), after week 20: The final lab visit, identical to the others, will occur after week 20 and will conclude with an exit interview regarding participants' experiences in the study and with each PPI activity.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
250
Four weeks of activities including a gratitude journal, random acts of kindness, self-compassionate letter, and capitalizing on positive events activities.
Four weeks of activities including a completed tasks journal, weekly "task burst," productivity letter, and talking to others about task activities.
Life Satisfaction
Satisfaction with Life Scale, 1-7 scale, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Positive Affect
Scale of Positive and Negative Affect, 1-5 scale, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Negative Affect
Scale of Positive and Negative Affect, 1-5 scale, lower scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Meaning in Life
Meaning in Life Questionnaire, 1-7 scale, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Optimism
Life Orientation Test-Revised, 1-5 scale, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Perceived General Health
Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), General Health Perceptions Subscale, 1-5, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Blood Pressure
Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure In-lab measurement with OMRON 10 Series Wireless Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Heart Rate
In-lab measurement with OMRON 10 Series Wireless Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Peak Expiratory Flow Rate
In-lab measurement with EasyOne Air Spirometer
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Grip Strength
In-lab measurement with Jamar Plus+ Digital Hand Dynamometer
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Momentary Mood
Rate your current mood. 1 (very bad) to 7 (very good), higher scores better
Time frame: 3x daily; weeks 1-8, 19, 20
Momentary Meaning in Life
Daily Meaning Scale, 1-7, higher scores better
Time frame: 3x daily; weeks 1-8, 19, 20
Amusement
Dispositional Positive Emotions Scale, 1-7, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Awe
Dispositional Positive Emotions Scale, 1-7, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Compassion
Dispositional Positive Emotions Scale, 1-7, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Contentment
Dispositional Positive Emotions Scale, 1-7, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Joy
Dispositional Positive Emotions Scale, 1-7, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Love
Dispositional Positive Emotions Scale, 1-7, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Pride
Dispositional Positive Emotions Scale, 1-7, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Hope
State Hope Scale, 1-8, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Depression
Patient Health Questionnaire-9, 0-27, lower scores better
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Anxiety
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, 1-4, lower scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Perceived Stress
Perceived Stress Scale, 0-4, lower scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Loneliness
UCLA Loneliness Scale, 1-4, lower scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Social Connectedness
Comprehensive Inventory of Thriving, 1-5, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Social Support
Perceived Social Support Scale, 1-5, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Sleep Quality
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, 0-21, lower scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Cigarette Use
cigarette smoking days/month x cigarettes per average smoking day, lower scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Tobacco Use (non-cigarette products)
tobacco use days/month x average uses per day of using, lower scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Alcohol Use
days in last month drinking x average number of drinks/drinking day, lower scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Vigorous Activity Level
International Physical Activity Questionnaire, days/week x minutes/day, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Moderate Activity Level
International Physical Activity Questionnaire, days/week x minutes/day, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Walking
International Physical Activity Questionnaire, days/week x minutes/day, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Physical Functioning
MOS Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Physical Functioning Subscale, 1-3, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Role Functioning--Physical
MOS Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Physical Role Functioning Subscale, 0-4, lower scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Role Functioning--Emotional
MOS Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Emotional Role Functioning Subscale, 0-3, lower scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Social Functioning
MOS Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Social Functioning Subscale, 0-5, lower scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Sitting
International Physical Activity Questionnaire, hours/weekday, lower scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Bodily Pain
MOS Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Pain Subscale, 2-11, lower scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
General Mental Health
MOS Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), General Mental Health Subscale, 1-6, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Vitality
MOS Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Vitality Subscale, 1-6, higher scores better
Time frame: baseline, immediate post-treatment, 14-week post-treatment follow-up
Momentary physical activity
Physical activity behaviors checklist, 0-3, higher scores better
Time frame: 3x daily; weeks 1-8, 19, 20
Momentary tobacco use
Have you used a tobacco product in the previous 4 hours? 0 (no)/1(yes), lower scores better
Time frame: 3x daily; weeks 1-8, 19, 20
Momentary alcohol use
Have you consumed alcohol in the previous 4 hours? 0 (no)/1(yes), lower scores better
Time frame: 3x daily; weeks 1-8, 19, 20
Momentary eating
Have you eaten \[fruit or vegetable/sugary dessert, snack, or beverage\] in the previous 4 hours? 0-2, higher scores better
Time frame: 3x daily; weeks 1-8, 19, 20
Momentary connective Behaviors
Connective behaviors checklist, 0-5, higher scores better
Time frame: 3x daily; weeks 1-8, 19, 20
Momentary Stress
How stressed do you feel right now? 1(not at all) to 7 (very much), lower scores better
Time frame: 3x daily; weeks 1-8, 19, 20
Momentary Depression
How depressed do you feel right now? 1(not at all) to 7 (very much), lower scores better
Time frame: 3x daily; weeks 1-8, 19, 20
Momentary Anxiety
How anxious do you feel right now? 1(not at all) to 7 (very much), lower scores better
Time frame: 3x daily; weeks 1-8, 19, 20
Momentary Loneliness
How lonely do you feel right now? 1(not at all) to 7 (very much), lower scores better
Time frame: 3x daily; weeks 1-8, 19, 20
Momentary Perceived General Health
How do you feel in terms of your physical health right now? 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent), higher scores better
Time frame: 3x daily; weeks 1-8, 19, 20
Sleep Quality
How would you rate the quality of your sleep last night? 1 (very bad) to 4 (very good), higher scores better
Time frame: 1x daily; weeks 1-8, 19, 20
Sleep Duration
Wake up time - (lights out time + time to fall asleep), higher scores better
Time frame: 1x daily; weeks 1-8, 19, 20
Common Symptoms Checklist
1-5, lower scores better
Time frame: 1x daily; weeks 1-8, 19, 20