Changing personality traits with the help of a digital personality change intervention

Personality traits predict important life outcomes, such as success in love and work life, well-being, health, and longevity. Given these positive relations to important outcomes, economists, policy makers, and scientists have proposed intervening to change personality traits to promote positive life outcomes. However, nonclinical interventions to change personality traits are lacking so far in large-scale naturalistic populations. This study (n = 1,523) examined the effects of a 3-mo digital personality change intervention using a randomized controlled trial and the smartphone application PEACH (PErsonality coACH). Participants who received the intervention showed greater self-reported changes compared to participants in the waitlist control group who had to wait 1 mo before receiving the intervention. Self-reported changes aligned with intended goals for change and were significant for those desiring to increase on a trait (d = 0.52) and for those desiring to decrease on a trait (d = −0.58). Observers such as friends, family members, or intimate partners also detected significant personality changes in the desired direction for those desiring to increase on a trait (d = 0.35). Observer-reported changes for those desiring to decrease on a trait were not significant (d = −0.22). Moreover, self- and observer-reported changes persisted until 3 mo after the end of the intervention. This work provides the strongest evidence to date that normal personality traits can be changed through intervention in nonclinical samples.

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Changing Personality Traits with the Help of a Digital Personality Change Intervention

10.31234/osf.io/sur2j ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mirjam Stieger ◽

Christoph Flückiger ◽

Dominik Rüegger ◽

Tobias Kowatsch ◽

Brent Roberts ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Personality Traits ◽

Large Scale ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Smartphone Application ◽

Personality Change ◽

Clinical Samples ◽

Control Group ◽

Life Outcomes ◽

Normal Personality ◽

Waitlist Control Group

Personality traits predict important life outcomes such as success in love and work life, wellbeing, health, and longevity. Given these positive relations to important outcomes, economists, policy-makers, and scientists have proposed intervening to change personality traits to promote positive life outcomes. However, non-clinical interventions to change personality traits are lacking so far in large-scale naturalistic populations. This study (N = 1,523) examined the effects of a 3- month digital personality change intervention using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and the smartphone application PEACH (PErsonality coACH). Participants who received the intervention showed greater self-reported changes compared to participants in the waitlist control group who had to wait one month before receiving the intervention. Self-reported changes aligned with intended goals for change and were significant for those desiring to increase on a trait (d = 0.52) and for those desiring to decrease on a trait (d = -0.58). Observers such as friends, family members or intimate partners also detected significant personality changes in the desired direction for those desiring to increase on a trait (d = 0.35). Observer-reported changes for those desiring to decrease on a trait were not significant (d = -0.22). Moreover, self- and observer reported changes persisted until three months after the end of the intervention. This work provides the strongest evidence to date that normal personality traits can be changed through intervention in non-clinical samples.

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Effects of Horticultural Therapy on Asian Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph15081705 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (8) ◽

pp. 1705 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Kheng Ng ◽

Angelia Sia ◽

Maxel Ng ◽

Crystal Tan ◽

Hui Chan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Social Connectedness ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Well Being ◽

Control Group ◽

Horticultural Therapy ◽

Waitlist Control ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Waitlist Control Group

The effect of horticultural therapy (HT) on immune and endocrine biomarkers remains largely unknown. We designed a waitlist-control randomized controlled trial to investigate the effectiveness of HT in improving mental well-being and modulating biomarker levels. A total of 59 older adults was recruited, with 29 randomly assigned to the HT intervention and 30 to the waitlist control group. The participants attended weekly intervention sessions for the first 3 months and monthly sessions for the subsequent 3 months. Biological and psychosocial data were collected. Biomarkers included IL-1β, IL-6, sgp-130, CXCL12/SDF-1α, CCL-5/RANTES, BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), hs-CRP, cortisol and DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone). Psychosocial measures examined cognitive functions, depression, anxiety, psychological well-being, social connectedness and satisfaction with life. A significant reduction in plasma IL-6 level (p = 0.02) was observed in the HT intervention group. For the waitlist control group, significant reductions in plasma CXCL12 (SDF-1α) (p = 0.003), CXCL5 (RANTES) (p = 0.05) and BDNF (p = 0.003) were observed. A significant improvement in social connectedness was also observed in the HT group (p = 0.01). Conclusion: HT, in reducing plasma IL-6, may prevent inflammatory disorders and through maintaining plasma CXCL12 (SDF-1α), may maintain hematopoietic support to the brain. HT may be applied in communal gardening to enhance the well-being of older adults.

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Qigong mind-body program for caregivers of cancer patients: design of a pilot three-arm randomized clinical trial

Pilot and Feasibility Studies ◽

10.1186/s40814-021-00793-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Pinky Shani ◽

Kristin Raeesi ◽

Eli Walter ◽

Kai Lewis ◽

Wanyi Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trial ◽

Large Scale ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Well Being ◽

Control Group ◽

Community Based Interventions ◽

Community Based ◽

Online Delivery ◽

Link Type ◽

Cancer Caregivers

Abstract Background Informal caregivers, often family and friends, experience significant psychological and physical distress leading to reductions in health and quality of life (QOL). Mind-body interventions focused on caregivers are often limited and do not address multiple barriers, including caregivers’ economic, geographic, and time constraints. Translation of in-person, community-based interventions to Internet-based delivery may offer greater accessibility for caregivers, leading to increased adherence. Methods Caring for Caregivers with Mind-Body implements a three-arm, pilot, randomized controlled trial to evaluate the feasibility of delivering a Qigong intervention (Eight Brocades) to cancer caregivers. A total of 54 cancer caregivers will be randomized into one of three 12-week programs: (1) community-based Qigong, (2) Internet-based Qigong, or (3) a self-care control group. Study-specific aims include (1) modify intervention content for online delivery, (2) evaluate the feasibility of recruiting and retaining cancer caregivers into a 12-week clinical trial, and (3) evaluate the feasibility of collecting and managing data, and the suitability of questionnaires for this population. Several outcomes will be assessed, including caregiver QOL, caregiver burden, caregiver distress, perceived social support, physical function, and cognitive function. A 6-month follow-up will also assess longer-term changes in QOL and psychosocial well-being. Discussion Findings will be used to inform the design and conduct of a large-scale comparative effectiveness trial evaluating caregivers who received Qigong training delivered through community-based vs Internet-based programs. A finding that either or both programs are effective would inform care and options for caregivers. Trial registration NCT04019301; registered on July 15, 2019; clinicaltrials.gov

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Smartphone application improves fertility treatment-related literacy in a large-scale virtual randomized controlled trial in Japan

npj Digital Medicine ◽

10.1038/s41746-021-00530-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ryo Yokomizo ◽

Akari Nakamura ◽

Makoto Sato ◽

Risa Nasu ◽

Maaya Hine ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Smartphone Application ◽

Reproductive Age ◽

Fertility Treatment ◽

Control Group ◽

Test Question ◽

Related Information ◽

And Control

AbstractPeople of reproductive age have unmet needs related to deficiencies in fertility literacy. Here, we aimed to investigate whether providing fertility-related information via a smartphone application could improve fertility treatment-related literacy in participants. We performed a randomized control-group pretest posttest study and recruited participants between June 18 and 25, 2020. Participants’ fertility treatment-related literacy was assessed with a pretest that comprised of 28 questions and participants were allocated with stratified randomization to either intervention group or control group. The intervention comprised a one-week smartphone application-based provision of information on fertility-related information and the control group received general information about women’s healthcare. Effectiveness of intervention was assessed using a posttest. A total of 4137 participants were administered the questionnaire and pretest, among which 3765 participants (91.0 %) responded and were randomly allocated into either the intervention group (N = 1883) or the control group (N = 1882). A significantly higher posttest mean score was observed for the intervention group compared to the control group (P = 0.0017). We also observed that posttest scores were significantly improved compared to pretest scores in both the intervention and control group (P < 0.001). When examining by specific test question, the proportion answering correctly increased at posttest compared to pretest for both intervention and control groups (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the intervention group showed a greater mean difference between posttest and pretest scores than the control group (P < 0.001). In conclusion, educational intervention using a smartphone application contributed to enhancing fertility treatment-related literacy.

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Feasibility of using a biofeedback device in mindfulness training - a pilot randomized controlled trial

Pilot and Feasibility Studies ◽

10.1186/s40814-021-00807-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Brenna Lin ◽

Christopher Prickett ◽

Steven Woltering

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Mindfulness Meditation ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Well Being ◽

Open Science ◽

Control Group ◽

Test Procedures ◽

The Usa ◽

Biofeedback Device

Abstract Background Stress can negatively impact an individual’s health and well-being and high levels of stress are noted to exist among college students today. While traditional treatment methods are plagued with stigma and transfer problems, newly developed wearable biofeedback devices may offer unexplored possibilities. Although these products are becoming commonplace and inexpensive, scientific evidence of the effectiveness of these products is scarce and their feasibility within research contexts are relatively unexplored. Conversely, companies are not required, and possibly reluctant, to release information on the efficacy of these products against their claims. Thus, in the present pilot, we assess the feasibility of using a real-time respiratory-based biofeedback device in preparation for a larger study. Our main aims were to assess device-adherence and collaboration with the company that develops and sells the device. Method Data were collected from 39 college students who self-identified as experiencing chronic stress at a Southwestern university in the USA. Students were randomized into either a mindfulness-only control group without a biofeedback device (n = 21), or an experimental group with biofeedback device (n = 18). Both groups received mindfulness meditation training. Pre-test and post-test procedures were conducted 2 weeks apart. Further, both participant compliance and company compliance were assessed and collaboration with the company was evaluated. Results Participant device-adherence as well as the company’s collaboration necessary for a full-scale study was determined to be low. This may also have affected our results which showed a strong main effect for time for all outcome variables, suggesting all groups showed improvement in their levels of stress after the intervention period. No group by time effects were identified, however, indicating no added benefit of the biofeedback device. Conclusions Our findings suggest feasibility of future studies requires full collaboration and detailed and agreed upon data sharing procedures with the biofeedback company. The particular device under investigation added no value to the intervention outcomes and it was not feasible to continue a larger-scale study. Further, as the technology sector is innovating faster than it can validate products, we urge for open science collaborations between public and private sectors to properly develop evidence-based regulations that can withstand technological innovation while maintaining product quality, safety, and effectiveness. Trial registration NCT02837016. Registered 19 July 2016.

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The utility of self-rated health in population surveys: the role of bodyweight

Population Health Metrics ◽

10.1186/s12963-021-00255-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Robert Bozick

Keyword(s):

Treatment Group ◽

Large Scale ◽

Well Being ◽

Control Group ◽

Self Rated Health ◽

Risk Of Mortality ◽

Highly Sensitive ◽

The Usa ◽

Group Members ◽

Nationally Representative

Abstract Background Self-rated health (SRH) is one of the most commonly used summary measures of overall health and well-being available to population scientists due to its ease of administration in large-scale surveys and to its efficacy in predicting mortality. This paper assesses the extent to which SRH is affected by its placement before or after questions about bodyweight on a survey, and whether differences in placement on the questionnaire affects SRH’s predictive validity. Methods I assessed the validity of SRH in predicting the risk of mortality by comparing outcomes of sample members who were asked to rate their health before reporting on their bodyweight (the control group) and sample members who were asked to rate their health after reporting on their bodyweight (the treatment group). Both the control and treatment group were randomly assigned via an experiment administered as a module in a nationally representative sample of adults in the USA in 2019 (N = 2523). Results The odds of reporting a more favorable appraisal of health are 30% lower for sample members who were in the treatment group when compared with the control group. Additionally, the SRH of treatment group members is significantly associated with their risk of mortality, while the SRH of control group members is not. Conclusion The findings from this study suggest that for researchers to maximize the utility of SRH, closer attention needs to be paid to the context of the survey within which it asked. SRH is highly sensitive to the questions that precede it, and this sensitivity may in turn mischaracterize the true health of the population that the survey is intending to measure.

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Influence on Forgiveness, Character Strengths and Satisfaction with Life of a Short Mindfulness Intervention via a Spanish Smartphone Application

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18020802 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 802

Author(s):

Juan Pablo Pizarro-Ruiz ◽

Nuria Ordóñez-Camblor ◽

Mario Del-Líbano ◽

María-Camino Escolar-LLamazares

Keyword(s):

Negative Affect ◽

Satisfaction With Life ◽

Character Strengths ◽

Well Being ◽

Smartphone Application ◽

Control Group ◽

Psychological Practice ◽

Before And After ◽

Reducing Stress ◽

Positive Effect

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) are a recognized effective psychological practice characterized by attention control, awareness, acceptance, non-reactivity, and non-judgmental thinking obtained through the practice of meditation. They have been shown to be useful in reducing stress and enhancing well-being in different contexts. In this research, the effectiveness of an MBI was evaluated on variables that can promote successful job performance such as mindfulness trait, positive and negative affect, forgiveness, personality strengths and satisfaction with life. The intervention was carried out through a smartphone application called “Aire Fresco” (Fresh Air) during 14 days in the middle of the quarantine produced by the Covid-19 pandemic. The study sample was composed of 164 Spanish people who were distributed in two groups: control group and experimental group, which were evaluated before and after the intervention. The MANCOVA performed showed an overall positive effect of the intervention on the variables evaluated. The different ANCOVAs carried out showed that the intervention was beneficial in increasing mindfulness trait, reducing negative affect or increasing life satisfaction, among others. Our study is, as far as we know, the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of a brief intervention in mindfulness conducted using a smartphone application in Spanish.

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Effect of Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR) Intervention on Well-Being, Resilience and Burnout of Teachers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18073689 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (7) ◽

pp. 3689

Author(s):

Tzofnat Zadok-Gurman ◽

Ronit Jakobovich ◽

Eti Dvash ◽

Keren Zafrani ◽

Benjamin Rolnik ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stress Reduction ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Well Being ◽

Stressful Events ◽

Control Group ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Intention To Treat ◽

School Year ◽

Blended Intervention

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on teachers professional and personal lives. Our primary aim was to assess the effect of a blended Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR), an emerging mindfulness and cognitive reframing intervention on teacher’s well-being. Our secondary aims were to assess the effect of IBSR on resilience, burnout, mindfulness, and stress among teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The study was a prospective controlled trial with an intervention group (N = 35) and a comparison control group (N = 32). The intervention took place in the Jerusalem District throughout the school year from November 2019 to May 2020. The sessions were conducted in blended learning that included traditional learning (face-to-face) and online learning. Data was analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. Results: IBSR blended intervention enhanced the resilience and improved the subjective and psychological well-being of teachers in spite of the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic and the first lockdown in Israel. Simultaneously the control group suffered from enhanced burnout levels and a decline in psychological and subjective well-being. Conclusions: Implementation of IBSR blended intervention during the school year may benefit teachers’ well-being and ability to flourish, even during stressful events such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Effectiveness of a short Yoga Nidra meditation on stress, sleep, and well-being in a large and diverse sample

Current Psychology ◽

10.1007/s12144-020-01042-2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Esther N. Moszeik ◽

Timo von Oertzen ◽

Karl-Heinz Renner

Keyword(s):

Structural Equation ◽

Well Being ◽

Equation Model ◽

Future Research ◽

Control Group ◽

Core Element ◽

Waitlist Control Group ◽

Affective Components ◽

Meditation Group ◽

Yoga Nidra

Abstract Previous studies have shown that meditation-based interventions can have a significant impact on stress and well-being in various populations. To further extend these findings, an 11-min Yoga Nidra meditation that may especially be integrated in a busy daily schedule by people who can only afford short time for breaks was adapted and analyzed in an experimental online study design. The effects of this short meditation on stress, sleep, well-being and mindfulness were examined for the first time. The meditation was provided as audio file and carried out during a period of 30 days by the participants of the meditation group. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) was used to analyze the data with Full Information Maximum Likelihood (FIML) in order to cope with missing data. As expected, the meditation group (N = 341) showed lower stress, higher well-being and improved sleep quality after the intervention (very small to small effect sizes) compared with a waitlist control group (N = 430). It turned out that the meditation had a stronger impact on the reduction of negative affect than on the increase of positive affect and also a stronger effect on affective components of well-being. Mindfulness, as a core element of the meditation, increased during the study within the meditation group. All effects remained stable at follow-up six weeks later. Overall, a large, heterogeneous sample showed that already a very short dose of meditation can positively influence stress, sleep, and well-being. Future research should consider biological markers as well as active control groups.

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Foam Rolling Elicits Neuronal Relaxation Patterns Distinct from Manual Massage: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11060818 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 818

Author(s):

Yann Kerautret ◽

Aymeric Guillot ◽

Sébastien Daligault ◽

Franck Di Rienzo

Keyword(s):

Skin Conductance ◽

Muscle Pain ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Muscle Relaxation ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Report ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Control Group ◽

Foam Rolling ◽

Randomized Controlled

The present double-blinded, randomized controlled study sought to compare the effects of a full-body manual massage (MM) and a foam rolling (FR) intervention on subjective and objective indexes of performance and well-being. A total of 65 healthy individuals were randomly allocated to an FR, MM, or a control group who received a cognitively oriented relaxation routine. Self-report ratings of perceived anxiety, muscle relaxation, and muscle pain were used to index changes in affect and physical sensations. The sit-and-reach and toe-touch tests, as well as a mental calculation task, were used to index motor and cognitive performances, respectively. We also conducted resting-state electroencephalography and continuous skin conductance recordings before and after the experimental intervention. Both FR and MM groups exhibited neural synchronization of alpha and beta oscillations during the posttest. Skin conductance increased from the pretest to the posttest in the relaxation group, but decreased in the FR group. All interventions improved range of motion, although only the MM group outperformed the relaxation group for the toe-touch performance. MM was associated with reduced muscle pain and increased muscle relaxation. Reduced perceived anxiety after the intervention was observed in the FR group only. Overall, MM and FR both improved objective and subjective indexes of performance and well-being. Differences between the two massage interventions are discussed in relation to the effects of pressure stimulation on autonomic regulations and the proactive vs. retroactive nature of FR, compared to MM.

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