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The COVID‐19 outbreak strongly restricted daily activities, creating a risk factor for negative affect and depression. This study assessed the immediate effects of a behavioural activation (BA) intervention on positive (PA) and negative (NA) state affect. We expected depression and anxiety to function as moderators reducing the intervention effects. In a quasi‐experimental online study, 3624 German‐speaking participants evaluated a list of rewarding activities between 9 April and 26 April 2020. A subsample of 2561 (71%) additionally engaged in an imagination task. Depression, anxiety, socioeconomic variables and COVID‐19 related burdens were assessed as moderators. There was an increase in PA (total sample d = .13; subsample: d = .27) and a decrease in NA (total sample d = −0.68; subsample: d = −0.71; all p < .001). The effects rose with higher levels of depression and anxiety (all p < .001). Furthermore, living with family enhanced the effects on NA, while additionally having to take care of children reduced them. An easy‐to‐use intervention prompting BA could improve state mood during lockdown. Participants with higher depression and anxiety benefit more. Implications for the prevention of mental health problems during a pandemic are discussed.

Background.Whether and to what degree psychotherapy leads to changes in patients' valuebased actions is not well documented. In this study we examined whether cognitive behavioral therapy, without explicit values work, enhanced value-oriented action. We also explored the role of change in valued action for subsequent life satisfaction and continued change after therapy. Additionally, data on the reliability and validity of the Valued Living Questionnaire (VLQ) are reported.Methods. We analyzed the pre-, post-, and 6-month-follow-up-data of 3,687 patients of a university psychotherapy outpatient clinic, most of which suffered from reliably diagnosed anxiety and mood disorders. Questionnaires included the VLQ (with 10 items each on the "importance" and "consistency" of values), symptom scales (Beck Depression Inventory; Brief Symptom Inventory), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Results.Over the course of therapy significant improvements in value-oriented action were found (d = .34), especially in treatment responders (d = .51). Increase of value-oriented action significantly explained satisfaction with life at end of treatment, even after controlling for symptom reduction. Temporally preceding improvement on the VLQ predicted further symptom reduction until follow-up. Conclusion.Data indicate that psychotherapy positively affects valued living, even when it is not explicitly targeted in treatment. Valued living may have a role in the course and maintenance of therapeutic change.

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Introduction: Embarrassment is a social affect. Once experienced in social interactions (SIs), it can be a precursor of clinical symptoms like depersonalization and ruminative thinking. This experience sampling study investigated predictors of embarrassment in social phobia (SP), major depressive disorder (MDD), and controls. Methods: For seven days, a total of n = 165 patients (n = 47 SP, n = 118 MDD) and n = 119 controls completed five surveys per day on their smartphones. The effect of social anxiety and depression facets on embarrassment was examined in contemporaneous and time-lagged models. Results: Individuals with SP or MDD experienced more embarrassing SIs than controls. Among facets of depression, feelings of guilt, and low self-worth significantly predicted embarrassment in contemporaneous, but not in time-lagged models. Among facets of social anxiety, worries about other people's opinion and worries of saying or doing something wrong during a social interaction significantly predicted embarrassment (contemporaneous and time-lagged; all p < .05). Discussion: The study reveals important cognitive factors that accompany embarrassment in SIs and that connect social experience and clinical symptoms. Targeting these putative dysfunctions could be an important strategy in therapy. The differential patterns in SP and MDD are discussed.

Behavioral activation (BA) interventions systematically encourage positive and value-based activities. Engaging in them is an effective way to counteract negative affect, but it is unknown whether there are subtypes of activities that may have differential effects on mood. This study investigated the factorial structure of 99 potentially rewarding activities used in an online BA intervention during the COVID-19 lockdown. About 3624 German-speaking participants evaluated a list of 99 activities that were easy to apply. We analyzed the initially 99 activities by means of confirmatory factor analysis. Since activities can either be seen as reflective or formative indicators, a reflective as well as a formative model was analyzed. Although the range of chosen activities differed clearly between respondents, a one-factor model provided the best fit. It seems that a general “activity” factor is more important for explaining whether people choose a certain activity or not, than specific characteristics of the activity itself.

Background Post-event processing (PEP) after social interactions (SIs) contributes to the persistence of social phobia (SP). This study investigated whether PEP as a transdiagnostic process also occurs in major depressive disorder (MDD) and controls. We also tested to what extent PEP was explained by trait levels of social anxiety (SA) or depression. Method For seven days, a total of n = 165 patients (n = 47 SP, n = 118 MDD) and n = 119 controls completed five surveys per day on their smartphones. Event-based experience sampling was used. PEP was assessed following subjective embarrassment in SIs with two reliable items from the Post-Event Processing Questionnaire. Data were analysed via multilevel regression analyses. Results Individuals with SP or MDD experienced more embarrassing SIs than controls and, accordingly, more PEP. The relative frequency of PEP after embarrassing SIs was equally high in all groups (86-96%). The groups did not differ regarding the amount of time PEP was experienced. After controlling trait depression, embarrassment occurred more frequently only in SP compared to controls. When controlling trait SA, between-group differences in indications of embarrassment, and consequently in PEP, dissipated. Conclusions PEP could be interpreted as a common coping strategy among all individuals, while more frequent embarrassment might be specific for clinical groups. Embarrassment was primarily driven by SA. The alleviation of SA could lead to the reduction of embarrassment and, further, of PEP. On this basis, a model describing PEP in MDD is proposed, while current models of PEP in SP are complemented.