eMotion for Emotional Well-being

Overseen By Kelly L Wierenga, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Indiana University

Disqualifiers: Non-English speakers, Palliative care, Legally blind

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 10

Duration: 10 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a program called eMotion, which aims to teach skills for managing emotions. It targets women who have experienced their first major heart problem and show mild symptoms of depression or anxiety. The goal is to determine if the updated program is easy to understand and useful for women from various backgrounds. Participants should live independently and understand English. Their feedback will help improve the program for future use. As an unphased trial, this study allows participants to contribute to the development of a potentially impactful program for emotional well-being.

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that the eMotion intervention is safe?

Research has shown that emotion regulation programs, such as eMotion, are generally safe and easy to use. One study examining various emotion regulation therapies found that these programs rarely cause negative effects. Most participants reported improved emotion management without major side effects.

The eMotion program builds on successful in-person programs and has undergone expert review to ensure its design prioritizes safety and effectiveness. By focusing on behavior rather than medication, eMotion avoids the risks often associated with drug treatments.

In summary, evidence suggests that eMotion is safe to try, with minimal risk of harm, and many people may find it helpful for managing their emotions. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

eMotion is unique because it offers a digital approach to emotional well-being for adults recovering from a first cardiac event. Unlike traditional in-person therapy or medication, eMotion leverages health information technology to deliver emotion regulation strategies in a more accessible format. Researchers are excited about eMotion because it combines expert-backed content with the convenience of a digital platform, potentially reaching a broader audience who may not have access to conventional treatments. This innovative delivery method could make a significant difference in self-management and cardiovascular health post-cardiac event.

What evidence suggests that the eMotion intervention is effective for emotional well-being?

Research has shown that learning to manage emotions can help people feel more in control and less stressed. Studies have found that these skills can improve mental health, reducing issues like depression and anxiety. Specifically, one study discovered that participants in emotion management programs experienced lasting improvements in their quality of life. In this trial, the eMotion program aims to teach these skills, potentially helping women from various backgrounds manage their emotions better after a heart-related health event. These skills could ease the handling of everyday stress and enhance overall emotional well-being. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Kelly L Wierenga, PhD

Principal Investigator

Indiana University School of Medicine

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for women living independently with mild symptoms of depression or anxiety, as measured by specific questionnaires. They must have experienced their first major cardiac event. The study aims to help those particularly affected by social factors that influence health recovery.

Inclusion Criteria

I live on my own.

I have had a major heart event for the first time.

I have mild depression or anxiety based on PHQ-8 or GAD-7 scores.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants engage in a 10-week eMotion intervention focusing on emotion regulation skills with weekly lessons and virtual meetings

10 weeks

10 virtual meetings

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in distress and physical activity over a three-month period

3 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• eMotion

Trial Overview

The eMotion intervention is being tested for its relevance and effectiveness in helping women from diverse backgrounds manage emotions after a cardiovascular event. It's based on evidence-based emotion regulation skills tailored to meet unique needs.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: eMotion Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

This is a single-group study assessing participation satisfaction with the 10-week eMotion intervention. The eMotion intervention is based on feasibility testing of the successful in-person program with critical refinement to improve accessibility. eMotion has undergone subsequent content validity testing with intervention development, self-management, cardiovascular health, and health information technology delivery experts. eMotion teaches a carefully selected repertoire of emotion regulation strategies well suited for adults following a first cardiac event.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Indiana University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,063

Recruited

1,182,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a study involving 445 participants over 2 to 3 weeks, reappraising both positive and negative emotions, as well as suppressing negative emotions, was linked to experiencing more positive daily events and improved well-being.

Interestingly, while suppressing positive emotions was associated with lower well-being, the benefits of effective emotion regulation strategies were most pronounced on days with more negative events, highlighting their importance during challenging times.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Influence of Daily Events on Emotion Regulation and Well-Being in Daily Life. Newman, DB., Nezlek, JB.[2022]

In a study of 72 adolescents, the ability to differentiate negative emotions was linked to lower levels of negativity and a belief in the malleability of emotions, suggesting that understanding negative feelings contributes to emotional well-being.

Differentiating positive emotions did not show a significant relationship with emotional well-being, highlighting that awareness of negative emotions may be more crucial for adolescents' overall mental health.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Emotion differentiation and its relation with emotional well-being in adolescents. Lennarz, HK., Lichtwarck-Aschoff, A., Timmerman, ME., et al.[2019]

In a series of 6 studies involving a total of 532 participants, researchers found that individuals with higher global well-being showed reduced emotional reactivity to positive events, indicating they experienced smaller increases in momentary positive affect.

The results suggest that while positive events may significantly enhance the mood of individuals with lower well-being, those with higher well-being may not benefit as much from these joyful experiences, as evidenced by smaller decreases in negative affect.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Higher well-being is related to reduced affective reactivity to positive events in daily life. Grosse Rueschkamp, JM., Kuppens, P., Riediger, M., et al.[2020]

Positive emotional states can enhance physical well-being and influence health perceptions and beliefs, suggesting a strong connection between emotions and health outcomes.

The authors identify several mechanisms through which positive emotions may promote health, including direct physiological effects on the immune system, motivation for healthy behaviors, and the facilitation of social support.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Emotional states and physical health. Salovey, P., Rothman, AJ., Detweiler, JB., et al.[2022]

Positive emotions are traditionally seen as beneficial for psychological health, but new research indicates they can also lead to negative outcomes when their intensity or context does not align with an individual's goals or environmental demands.

The concept of Positive Emotion Disturbance (PED) is introduced, highlighting the need for further research into how positive emotions can sometimes contribute to emotional disorders and affect psychological change.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Understanding and Taking Stock of Positive Emotion Disturbance. Gruber, J., Villanueva, C., Burr, E., et al.[2023]

Citations

1.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8140974/

Effectiveness of current psychological interventions to ...

Emotion regulation. The results indicate that for individuals who received a specific ER intervention, emotion regulation improved by g = 0.22, and in non ...

2.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11414305/

The influence of an emotion regulation intervention on ...

The findings suggest that the emotion regulation intervention has the potential to improve emotion regulation difficulties and cognitive emotion ...

3.

sciencedirect.com

sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589979124000234

A systematic review of interventions aimed at improving ...

The Emotion Regulation group showed greater improvement in rates of depression, anxiety and health-related quality of life which were maintained at follow up.

4.

frontiersin.org

frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1218694/full

Emotional regulation strategies in daily life: the intensity of ...

Results: The obtained results indicate that the intensity of emotions affects the choice of regulation strategies.

5.

link.springer.com

link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44202-025-00417-5

A systematic review of strategies, contexts and outcomes of ...

We identified eleven key research domains in teachers´ emotion regulation, including the use of emotion regulation strategies, burnout, ...

6.

sciencedirect.com

sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022395624002310

Interventions targeting emotion regulation: A systematic ...

Our goal was to investigate the psychotherapeutic interventions used to address ED and gauge their effectiveness, safety, and potential mechanisms across ...

7.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4793767/

The role of emotion in patient safety: Are we brave enough to ...

Evidence to date suggests that emotion plays an integral role in patient safety. Implications for training, practice and research are discussed.

8.

dpi.wi.gov

dpi.wi.gov/sspw/mental-health/framework/intensive-practices/regulation-plans

Emotional Regulation Plans

Emotional Regulation Plans Schools create a safety plan for and with those students who have a demonstrated need due to repeated patterns of unsafe or.

9.

mdpi.com

mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/7/130

Clarity and Emotional Regulation as Protective Factors for ...

Conclusions: Emotional regulation and clarity are vital for adolescent well-being and enhance the protective role of regulation against depression.