scholarly journals Standalone Effects of a Cognitive Behavioral Intervention Using a Mobile Phone App on Psychological Distress and Alcohol Consumption Among Japanese Workers: Pilot Nonrandomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshitaka Hamamura ◽  
Shinichiro Suganuma ◽  
Mami Ueda ◽  
Jack Mearns ◽  
Haruhiko Shimoyama
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Heavy Drinking ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mood Regulation ◽  
Negative Mood Regulation Expectancies ◽  
Negative Mood Regulation

BACKGROUND Research that investigates standalone effects of a mobile phone-based cognitive behavioral therapy without any human contact for reducing both psychological distress and risky drinking has been advancing; however, the number of studies is still limited. A mobile phone app called Self Record that facilitates cognitive restructuring through self-monitoring of daily thoughts and activities was developed in Japan. OBJECTIVE This study conducted a nonrandomized controlled pilot trial of the Self Record app to investigate standalone effects of the intervention on psychological distress and alcohol consumption among Japanese workers. Additionally, we examined moderating effects of negative mood regulation expectancies, which are beliefs about one’s ability to control one’s negative mood. METHODS A quasi-experimental design with a 1-month follow-up was conducted online in Japan from February 2016 to March 2016. A research marketing company recruited participants. The selection criteria were being a Japanese full-time worker (age 20-59 years), experiencing mild to moderate psychological distress, and having some interest in self-record apps. Assignment to group was based on participants’ willingness to use the app in the study. All participants completed outcome measures of negative mood regulation expectancies, positive well-being, general distress, depression, anxiety, and typical/most weekly alcohol consumption. RESULTS From the recruitment, 15.65% (1083/6921) of participants met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 51.43% (557/1083) enrolled in the study: 54.9% (306/557) in the intervention group and 45.1% (251/557) in the control group. At the 1-month follow-up, 15.3% (85/557) of participants had dropped out. Intention-to-treat analyses revealed that participants in the intervention group reported increased typical drinking (η2=.009) and heavy drinking (η2=.001). Adherence to using the app was low; 64.8% (199/306) of participants in the intervention group discontinued using the app on the first day. Additionally, 65.7% (366/557) of the total sample did not correctly answer the validity checks in the outcome measures (eg, “Please select ‘mildly agree’ for this item”). Therefore, per-protocol analyses were conducted after removing these participants. Results showed that continuing app users (42/127) in the intervention group reported increases in anxiety (η2=.006), typical drinking (η2=.005), and heavy drinking (η2=.007) compared to those in the control group (85/127). Negative mood regulation expectancies moderated the effects of the intervention for general distress (beta=.39). CONCLUSIONS Results were contrary to our hypotheses. Self-recording methods of standalone mobile phone interventions may heighten individuals’ awareness of their pathological thought and drinking behavior, but may be insufficient to decrease them unless combined with a more intense or face-to-face intervention. Limitations include high attrition in this study; measures to improve the response rate are discussed.

scholarly journals Standalone Effects of a Cognitive Behavioral Intervention Using a Mobile Phone App on Psychological Distress and Alcohol Consumption Among Japanese Workers: Pilot Nonrandomized Controlled Trial

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. e24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshitaka Hamamura ◽  
Shinichiro Suganuma ◽  
Mami Ueda ◽  
Jack Mearns ◽  
Haruhiko Shimoyama
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Heavy Drinking ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mood Regulation ◽  
Negative Mood Regulation Expectancies ◽  
Negative Mood Regulation

Background Research that investigates standalone effects of a mobile phone-based cognitive behavioral therapy without any human contact for reducing both psychological distress and risky drinking has been advancing; however, the number of studies is still limited. A mobile phone app called Self Record that facilitates cognitive restructuring through self-monitoring of daily thoughts and activities was developed in Japan. Objective This study conducted a nonrandomized controlled pilot trial of the Self Record app to investigate standalone effects of the intervention on psychological distress and alcohol consumption among Japanese workers. Additionally, we examined moderating effects of negative mood regulation expectancies, which are beliefs about one’s ability to control one’s negative mood. Methods A quasi-experimental design with a 1-month follow-up was conducted online in Japan from February 2016 to March 2016. A research marketing company recruited participants. The selection criteria were being a Japanese full-time worker (age 20-59 years), experiencing mild to moderate psychological distress, and having some interest in self-record apps. Assignment to group was based on participants’ willingness to use the app in the study. All participants completed outcome measures of negative mood regulation expectancies, positive well-being, general distress, depression, anxiety, and typical/most weekly alcohol consumption. Results From the recruitment, 15.65% (1083/6921) of participants met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 51.43% (557/1083) enrolled in the study: 54.9% (306/557) in the intervention group and 45.1% (251/557) in the control group. At the 1-month follow-up, 15.3% (85/557) of participants had dropped out. Intention-to-treat analyses revealed that participants in the intervention group reported increased typical drinking (η2=.009) and heavy drinking (η2=.001). Adherence to using the app was low; 64.8% (199/306) of participants in the intervention group discontinued using the app on the first day. Additionally, 65.7% (366/557) of the total sample did not correctly answer the validity checks in the outcome measures (eg, “Please select ‘mildly agree’ for this item”). Therefore, per-protocol analyses were conducted after removing these participants. Results showed that continuing app users (42/127) in the intervention group reported increases in anxiety (η2=.006), typical drinking (η2=.005), and heavy drinking (η2=.007) compared to those in the control group (85/127). Negative mood regulation expectancies moderated the effects of the intervention for general distress (beta=.39). Conclusions Results were contrary to our hypotheses. Self-recording methods of standalone mobile phone interventions may heighten individuals’ awareness of their pathological thought and drinking behavior, but may be insufficient to decrease them unless combined with a more intense or face-to-face intervention. Limitations include high attrition in this study; measures to improve the response rate are discussed.

Interpersonal Emotion Regulation and Psychological Distress: What Is the function of Negative Mood Regulation Expectancies in This Relationship?

2020 ◽  
pp. 003329412096808
Author(s):  
Elcin Ray-Yol ◽  
Ayse Altan-Atalay
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Mood Regulation ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Negative Mood Regulation Expectancies ◽  
Interpersonal Emotion Regulation ◽  
Negative Mood Regulation ◽  
Relationship Of

Individuals’ tendency to use their interactions with others in the management of their own emotions is called Interpersonal Emotion Regulation (IER). Limited studies have explored the association between IER and psychological distress with none focusing on the role of mediating variables in this relationship. The current study aims to explore the role of negative mood regulation expectancies (NMRE), which is defined as one’s confidence in the effectiveness of their coping skills while dealing with difficult emotions, as a possible mechanism underlying the association between IER and psychological distress. The data were collected from 204 (164 women) Turkish speaking individuals whose age ranges between 18 and 32 ( M = 22.78, SD = 3.21). The participants completed measures of IER, NMRE and psychological distress. The results have indicated that NMRE has a significant mediating role in the relationship of Soothing dimension of IER with psychological distress. The present findings highlighted the maladaptive function of Soothing as an IER strategy in addition to shedding light on the important role of NMRE in this relationship.

Generalized Expectancies for Negative Mood Regulation Among Youth in Grades 4 to 8

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 395-425
Author(s):  
Jeff Laurent ◽  
Aaron Roome ◽  
Salvatore J. Catanzaro ◽  
Jack Mearns ◽  
Colin Harbke
Keyword(s):  
Negative Mood ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
Mood Regulation ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Negative Mood Regulation Expectancies ◽  
Affective Symptoms ◽  
Negative Mood Regulation ◽  
Generalized Expectancies ◽  
The Relationship

Negative mood regulation expectancies (NMRE) represent people’s beliefs that they can use behaviors and cognitions to alleviate unpleasant emotional states. The relationship between NMRE and measures of affect, coping, depression, and anxiety with youth in Grades 4 through 8 ( N = 539) was examined. In hierarchical regressions, scores on an NMRE scale predicted depression, but not anxiety, independent of positive affect, negative affect, adaptive coping, and avoidant coping. Results were consistent with those found with college students and adults, suggesting the NMRE construct can add to our understanding of how youth deal with negative moods. Assessing NMRE in youth may help identify those at risk for developing affective symptoms, and provide a useful index of progress in therapeutic interventions.

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