A comparison of self-help (homework) activities for mood enhancement: Results from a brief randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

Homework assignments are an integral part of traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression, where the focus of therapy and interventions is to reduce negative mental health symptomatology. However, little attention has been paid to the extent that CBT homework assignments can improve positive emotionality. Positive psychology interventions, on the other hand, have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing depression and bolstering positive states, which may make them valuable additions to CBT for depression when incorporated specifically as homework assignments. The current study compared the effectiveness of self-help homework assignments from both of these theories. College students with mild depressive symptoms in a nonpsychotherapy setting were randomly assigned to complete either cognitivebehavioral homework assignments (with or without an interpersonal component) or positive psychology homework assignments (with an inherent interpersonal element) over a 2-week period. Results indicated that participants from all 3 experimental conditions experienced a significant decrease in depressive symptoms and general distress scores relative to a control group over the course of 2 weeks, but only participants in the positive psychology homework condition experienced a concurrent increase in both positive affect and behavioral activation. The integration of positive psychology interventions as homework assignments in psychotherapy is discussed.

Beyond Ryff's scale: Comprehensive measures of eudaimonic well‐being in clinical populations. A systematic review

“…The most frequently used instrument was the MHC (Keyes, , , ), which was applied in 10 studies (Bohlmeijer, Lamers, & Fledderus, ; Borja & Callahan, ; Callahan, Borja, Herbert, Maxwell, & Ruggero, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, & Pieterse, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, Pieterse, & Schreurs, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, Smit, & Westerhof, ; McGaffin, Deane, Kelly, & Ciarrochi, ; Salekin, Tippey, & Allen, ; Walker & Lampropoulos, ; Walker‐Williams, van Eeden, & van der Merwe, ). All studies, except one that used a 12‐item version labeled positive emotions – CDS (Salekin et al, ), used the MHC Short Form consisting of 14 items (Bohlmeijer et al, ; Borja & Callahan, ; Callahan et al, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, Smit et al, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, & Pieterse, ; Fledderus et al, ; McGaffin et al, ; Walker & Lampropoulos, ; Walker‐Williams et al, ). These studies were performed in the United States ( n = 4; Borja & Callahan, ; Callahan et al, ; Salekin et al, ; Walker & Lampropoulos, ), South Africa ( n = 1; Walker‐Williams et al, ), the Netherlands ( n = 4; Bohlmeijer et al, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, & Pieterse, ; Fledderus et al, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, Smit et al, ), and Australia ( n = 1; McGaffin et al, ).…”

“…All studies, except one that used a 12‐item version labeled positive emotions – CDS (Salekin et al, ), used the MHC Short Form consisting of 14 items (Bohlmeijer et al, ; Borja & Callahan, ; Callahan et al, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, Smit et al, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, & Pieterse, ; Fledderus et al, ; McGaffin et al, ; Walker & Lampropoulos, ; Walker‐Williams et al, ). These studies were performed in the United States ( n = 4; Borja & Callahan, ; Callahan et al, ; Salekin et al, ; Walker & Lampropoulos, ), South Africa ( n = 1; Walker‐Williams et al, ), the Netherlands ( n = 4; Bohlmeijer et al, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, & Pieterse, ; Fledderus et al, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, Smit et al, ), and Australia ( n = 1; McGaffin et al, ). The instrument has been translated and validated in its English and Dutch versions.…”

“…The instrument has been translated and validated in its English and Dutch versions. A cross‐sectional survey design ( n = 4; Borja & Callahan, ; Callahan et al, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, & Pieterse, ; Walker‐Williams et al, ) was utilized in most of the studies, alternatively, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design ( n = 4; Bohlmeijer et al, ; Fledderus et al, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, Smit et al, ; Walker & Lampropoulos, ). Other designs include uncontrolled trials ( n = 1; Salekin et al, ) and a longitudinal observational design ( n = 1; McGaffin et al, ).…”

“…Other designs include uncontrolled trials ( n = 1; Salekin et al, ) and a longitudinal observational design ( n = 1; McGaffin et al, ). The majority of the articles studied populations of adults with mild to moderate distress or depressive symptoms ( n = 5; Bohlmeijer et al, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, & Pieterse, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, Smit et al, ; Fledderus et al, ; Walker & Lampropoulos, ). A smaller number of articles investigated women or students who had experienced traumatic events ( n = 3; Borja & Callahan, ; Callahan et al, ; Walker‐Williams et al, ).…”

“…The MHC instrument was used in a variety of different statistical analyses. Most commonly, the scale was considered as a dependent variable ( n = 4; Bohlmeijer et al, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, & Pieterse, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, Smit et al, ; McGaffin et al, ), as an outcome measure ( n = 4; Bohlmeijer et al, ; Fledderus et al, ; Salekin et al, ; Walker & Lampropoulos, ), or as a variable in correlational analyses ( n = 4; Borja & Callahan, ; Callahan et al, ; Fledderus, Bohlmeijer, & Pieterse, ; McGaffin et al, ). It was also used as a variable in factor analyses ( n = 2; Borja & Callahan, ; Callahan et al, ), as an observed measure for a latent variable in structural equation modeling (SEM, n = 2; Borja & Callahan, ; Callahan et al, ), and as a categorical variable to describe numbers of participants who were flourishing, languishing, or moderately mentally healthy ( n = 1; Walker‐Williams et al, ).…”