This study investigates how different ways of reflecting on emotions in daily life influence emotional awareness, emotion regulation, and mental health. Using the FeelSync mobile app over the course of seven days, participants are prompted multiple times a day to report on their current emotional state in various formats (e.g., rating scales, multiple choice, or free text). In some groups, participants also receive brief daily exercises designed to help them practice cognitive reappraisal-a strategy that involves reframing stressful situations to reduce their emotional impact. The study aims to assess not only the overall effectiveness of these reappraisal exercises but also whether the type of emotional self-report used before the intervention affects its impact. All participants complete questionnaires before and after the app phase to track changes in mood, stress, emotional awareness, and regulation.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
490
Ecological Momentary Intervention focused on cognitive reappraisal for distressing autobiographical memories, with a possibility to choose between distancing and positive reappraisal.
Ecological Momentary Assessment used for self-monitoring of emotional states.
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Rotterdam, Netherlands
RECRUITINGPerceived Stress Scale
Self-report questionnaire, Range: 0 - 40 Higher scores: Worse outcome (higher perceived stress)
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention, study day 1) and Follow-up (post intervention, study day 9)
Beck Depression Inventory II
Self-report questionnaire, Range: 0 - 63 Higher scores: Worse outcome (more severe depressive symptoms)
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention, study day 1) and Follow-up (post intervention, study day 9)
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory
Self-report questionnaire, \[state scale only\], Range: 20 - 80 Higher scores: Worse outcome (greater state anxiety)
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention, study day 1) and Follow-up (post intervention, study day 9)
Emotion Regulation Questionnaire
Self-report questionnaire, Reappraisal subscale: Range 1 - 7 (mean of 6 items) Higher scores: Better outcome (more frequent use of cognitive reappraisal) Suppression subscale: Range 1 - 7 (mean of 4 items) Higher scores: Worse outcome (more frequent use of suppression)
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention, study day 1) and Follow-up (post intervention, study day 9)
Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire
Self-report questionnaire, Subscale range: 2 - 10 per strategy Higher scores: On adaptive strategies (e.g., positive reappraisal, putting into perspective): Better outcome On maladaptive strategies (e.g., rumination, catastrophizing): Worse outcome
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention, study day 1) and Follow-up (post intervention, study day 9)
Toronto Alexithymia Scale
Self-report questionnaire, Range: 20 - 100 Higher scores: Worse outcome (greater difficulties in identifying and describing feelings; lower emotional awareness)
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention, study day 1) and Follow-up (post intervention, study day 9)
Mobile Agnew Relationship Measure
Self-report questionnaire, Range: 16-112 Higher scores: Better outcome (stronger perceived therapeutic alliance with the app/intervention)
Time frame: Follow-up (post intervention, study day 9)
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