Emotion Regulation Training Via Telehealth During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose

This study is an open trial designed specifically to address the need for evidence-based treatment delivered via telehealth to individuals that are currently struggling with mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the overarching goal of helping residents of New York adversely impacted by the pandemic to effectively manage their anxiety, stress, and depression during this unprecedented time in human history.

Conditions

  • Distress, Emotional
  • Emotional Dysfunction
  • Anxiety
  • Depression

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 18 Years and 65 Years
Eligible Genders
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • Aged 18-65 years during the time of participation - Endorses distress and worry/rumination exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic - Access to a mobile device (e.g., smartphone, personal computer, laptop, tablet) connected to the Internet

Exclusion Criteria

  • Active suicidal intent - Current substance dependence disorder (within the past year) - Current or past psychotic disorder, Bipolar-I disorder, or dementia - Primary DSM-5 diagnosis of borderline or narcissistic personality disorder - Currently receiving any other form of psychosocial treatment

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
N/A
Intervention Model
Single Group Assignment
Intervention Model Description
All participants will receive a 9-session version of Emotion Regulation Training delivered semi-weekly via synchronous telehealth using videoconferencing software and an asynchronous Internet-based Online platform to supplement the content covered in each session.
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Emotion Regulation Training via Telehealth 		All participants will receive 9 sessions of Emotion Regulation Training delivered via telehealth. These individualized therapy sessions are 1-hour in length and occur semi-weekly over the course of four weeks.
  • Behavioral: Emotion Regulation Training via Telehealth
    The initial stage of treatment focuses on psychoeducation about anxiety/depression, the impact that these cognitions/behaviors/emotions have on recent situations, and self-monitoring of worry/anxiety/depression. The sessions focus on the development of skills that help understand and regulate one's emotional experience (i.e., recognizing emotions when they are happening, identifying the meaning of a given emotion experience, soothing oneself in the context of negative emotional experiences). Following the development of these skills, sessions focus on the application of somatic awareness and emotion regulation skills while imagining emotionally evocative themes. The remaining session focuses on terminating therapy, relapse prevention, and future goals. An Internet-based online platform will be used to promote engagement with and increase accessibility to between-session skills practice and treatment-related activities (e.g., self-monitoring, session summaries, worksheets).
    Other names:
    • Emotion Regulation Therapy (ERT)

Recruiting Locations

More Details

NCT ID
NCT04615416
Status
Active, not recruiting
Sponsor
Teachers College, Columbia University

Detailed Description

The present study is evaluating whether this ERT treatment program delivered via telehealth demonstrates efficacy in: 1) reducing symptoms of psychological distress (e.g., anxiety, depression, worry, rumination); 2) improving outcomes specific to the ERT mechanism-based model (e.g., attentional control, decentering, reappraisal); 3) improving quality of life and functioning, for adults aged 18-65 years old.