Imagery Rescripting and Imaginal Exposure in Nightmare Disorder Compared to Positive Imagery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Carolin Schmid ◽  
Kathrin Hansen ◽  
Tana Kröner-Borowik ◽  
Regina Steil
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Active Control ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Individual Treatment ◽  
Single Individual ◽  
Imaginal Exposure ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Imagery Rescripting ◽  
Nightmare Disorder

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Both imagery rescripting and imaginal exposure have been proven to be effective in the treatment of chronic nightmares when compared to a waitlist condition. Little is known about their comparative efficacy and their efficacy compared to an active control. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> The aims of this study were to compare the two treatments to one another and to positive imagery as an active control, and to explore covariates of the treatment effect. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> In this single-blinded randomized controlled trial, 96 patients with nightmare disorder (idiopathic nightmares) from an outpatient clinic were randomly assigned to a single individual treatment session of rescripting, exposure, or positive imagery and 4 weeks of practice at home. The primary outcome was nightmare distress, and the secondary outcomes were nightmare frequency, nightmare effects, self-efficacy, and general psychopathology. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Nightmare distress was reduced in all groups (imagery rescripting: Cohen’s <i>d</i> = –1.04, imaginal exposure: <i>d</i> = –0.68, positive imagery: <i>d</i> = –0.57), as were nightmare frequency, nightmare effects, and psychopathology. Self-efficacy was enhanced. No differential treatment effects were found on any primary or secondary measure. Treatment gains were not associated with demographic or disorder characteristics, baseline values, treatment credibility, or the number of practice sessions. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Even short nightmare treatments are effective regardless of personal characteristics, and different interventions produce similar results. Future research should aim to clarify the mechanisms of action. Health care should make more use of these powerful and easy-to-administer nightmare treatments.

Effects of an Intervention App on Problematic Smartphone Use: Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Keller ◽  
Christina Roitzheim ◽  
Theda Radtke ◽  
Konstantin Schenkel ◽  
Ralf Schwarzer
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Active Control ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Psychological Resources ◽  
Problematic Smartphone Use ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Smartphone Use ◽  
Digital Detox

BACKGROUND People spend large parts of their everyday life using their smartphone. Despite various advantages of the smartphone for daily life, problematic forms of smartphone use exist which are related to negative psychological and physiological consequences. To reduce problematic smartphone use, existing interventions are oftentimes app-based and include components, that help users to monitor and restrict their smartphone use by setting timers and blockers. Such digital detox interventions lack to address psychological resources such as promoting a self-efficacious and goal-directed smartphone use. OBJECTIVE Evaluation of the theory-based smartphone app “not less but better” that was developed to make people aware of psychological processes while using the smartphone and to support them in using their smartphone in accordance with their goals and values. METHODS In a randomized controlled trial with 232 participants, effects of a 20-day intervention app consisting of five 4-days training modules to foster a goal-directed smartphone use were evaluated. In the active control condition (treatment-as-usual), participants received a digital detox treatment and planned daily timeouts of at least one hour per day. Up to a 3-weeks follow-up, self-reported problematic smartphone use, objectively measured daily smartphone unlocks, time of smartphone use, self-efficacy, and planning towards goal-directed smartphone use were assessed repeatedly. Linear two-level models tested intervention effects. Mediation models were used to analyse mechanisms of the intervention. RESULTS Both conditions manifested substantial reductions in their problematic smartphone use as well as in the amount of time spent with the smartphone. These reductions were documented at postintervention and remained stable at the 3-weeks follow-up. The number of daily unlocks did not change over time. Further, modelling changes in self-efficacy as a mediator between the intervention and problematic smartphone use at follow-up fitted well to the data and showed an indirect effect (b=-0.09 (CIBC 95% [-0.26, -0.01]), indicating that self-efficacy was an important intervention mechanism. Another mediation model revealed an indirect effect from changes in planning via smartphone unlocks at postintervention on problematic smartphone use at follow-up (b=-0.029, CIBC 95% [-0.078, -0.003]). CONCLUSIONS An innovative, theory-based intervention app on goal-directed smartphone use has been found useful in lowering problematic smartphone use as well as time spent with the smartphone. As the active control condition (planning of daily timeouts) experienced similar reductions in these two outcomes, a combined version of both experimental conditions could be used in future interventions on smartphone behaviours. Moreover, present findings highlight the importance to promote psychological resources such as self-efficacy and planning of goal-directed smartphone use to achieve improvements in problematic smartphone use. CLINICALTRIAL German Clinical Trials Register; https://drks.de/drks_web/setLocale_EN.do; identifier: DRKS00017606

scholarly journals Neurocognitive and Self-efficacy Benefits of Cognitive Remediation in Schizophrenia: A Randomized Controlled Trial – Corrigendum

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 659-660
Author(s):  
Shayden D. Bryce ◽  
Susan L. Rossell ◽  
Stuart J. Lee ◽  
Richard J. Lawrence ◽  
Eric J. Tan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Cognitive Remediation ◽  
Randomized Controlled

scholarly journals A pilot randomized controlled trial of a tailored smoking cessation program for people living with HIV in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elexis C. Kierstead ◽  
Emily Harvey ◽  
Denisse Sanchez ◽  
Kimberly Horn ◽  
Lorien C. Abroms ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Smoking Cessation ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
P Value ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Objective Morbidity and mortality from smoking-related diseases among people living with HIV (PLWH) in the U.S. surpasses that due to HIV itself. Conventional smoking cessation treatments have not demonstrated strong efficacy among PLWH. We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate a tailored smoking cessation intervention based on the minority stress model. We compared standard of care counseling (SOC) to a tailored intervention (TI) including one face-to-face counseling session incorporating cognitive behavioral therapy to build resilience, and 30 days of 2-way text messaging. Results The primary outcome was smoking cessation. Secondary outcomes included cigarettes per day (CPD), exhaled carbon monoxide (CO), and cessation self-efficacy. A total of 25 participants were enrolled (TI:11, SOC:14), and 2 were lost to follow-up. There were no significant differences in quit rates between study groups. However, there was a significantly greater decrease in CPD in the TI versus SOC (13.5 vs. 0.0, p-value:0.036). Additionally, self-efficacy increased in both groups (TI p-value:0.012, SOC p-value:0.049) and CO decreased in both groups (TI p-value: < 0.001, SOC p-value:0.049). This intervention shows promise to support smoking cessation among PLWH. A larger study is needed to fully evaluate the efficacy of this approach. Clinical trial: Trial Registration: Retrospectively registered (10/20/2020) NCT04594109.

Effecten van een sociale responsiviteitstraining op jongeren met ASS

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sakinah Binti Idris ◽  
Jorieke Duvekot ◽  
Jan van der Ende ◽  
Kirstin Greaves Lord ◽  
Neeltje van Haren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Social Skills ◽  
Active Control ◽  
Treatment Effects ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Parent Reports ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Age Appropriate ◽  
Relational Skills

The PEERS® (Program for Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills) training targets age-appropriate social skills. By the use of homework assignments and parallel parent sessions the generalization of skills enhanced. The results of this randomized controlled trial show that social skills significantly improved, as indicated by both selfand parent reports. However, the significant increase in observed social skills as observed in the PEERS® condition was as large as the increase observed in the active control condition. Further research will target mediators and moderators of treatment effects.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Professional Development for Interdisciplinary Civic Education: Impacts on Humanities Teachers and Their Students

2015 ◽  
Vol 117 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-52
Author(s):  
Dennis J. Barr ◽  
Beth Boulay ◽  
Robert L. Selman ◽  
Rachel Mccormick ◽  
Ethan Lowenstein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
The United States ◽  
Performance Measure ◽  
Civic Learning ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
10Th Grade ◽  
The Impact

Background/Context Billions of dollars are spent annually on professional development (PD) for educators, yet few randomized controlled trials (RCT) have demonstrated the ultimate impact PD has on student learning. Further, while policymakers and others speak to the role schools should play in developing students’ civic awareness, RCTs of PD designed to foster civic learning are rare. This randomized controlled trial contributes to the knowledge base on the effectiveness of PD designed to integrate civic learning, ethical reflection, and historical thinking skills into high school humanities courses. Focus of Study The study examined the impact of a PD intervention in two areas: (a) teacher self-efficacy, burnout, and professional engagement and satisfaction; and (b) the academic, civic, social, and ethical competencies of 9th and 10th grade students in the teachers’ classes. Population/Participants/Subjects The study involved 113 teachers and 1,371 9th and 10th grade students in 60 high schools from eight metropolitan regions in the United States. Intervention/Program/Practice The intervention, Facing History and Ourselves, provides PD through a five-day seminar, curricular materials, and follow-up coaching and workshops to help teachers develop their capacities to implement an interdisciplinary historical case study unit using student-centered pedagogy. Research Design The study used a school-level, randomized, experimental design to investigate impacts of the intervention for teachers and their 9th and 10th grade students. Findings/Results Intervention teachers showed significantly greater self-efficacy in all eight assessed domains, more positive perceptions of professional support, satisfaction and growth, and greater personal accomplishment. Intervention students demonstrated stronger skills for analyzing evidence, agency, and cause and effect on a historical understanding performance measure; greater self-reported civic efficacy and tolerance for others with different views; and more positive perceptions of the classroom climate and the opportunities afforded for engaging with civic matters. Fidelity analysis found these causal effects despite the fact that roughly half of the intervention teachers did not fully implement the program. Conclusions/Recommendations Educators need evidence-based approaches for teaching complex social, civic, and political issues enabling students of diverse mindsets and backgrounds to engage constructively with one another while obtaining necessary skills and knowledge. These findings provide empirical support for a professional development approach that engages teachers in fostering academic and civic competencies critical to both participation in a democracy and success in college and career.

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