At a glance
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Resilience Factors and Selective Learning in Patients With Fibromyalgia
In Brief
A clinical study evaluating Best Possible Self and Typical Day for Fibromyalgia. Completed, enrolled 189 participants across 1 site.
Detailed Summary
Learning impairments (such as reduced selective learning or excessive generalization) in the context of pain can lead to disability. Learning deficits have been found in experimental studies in various pain populations. In current scientific discussions, the activation of resilience factors (in particular positive affect and optimism) is being considered to optimize learning experiences and to make therapeutic procedures more effective. Positive affect could promote selective learning since positive emotions broaden attention and focus and thus possibly improve inhibitory learning. There is first scientific evidence for improved safety learning through positive affect in non-clinical samples in the context of pain. In this research project, the influence of positive affect and optimism on selective learning will be investigated in a clinical sample of fibromyalgia patients. Data will be collected online and standardized questionnaires will be used. The authors expect that (1) There will be a larger increase in positive affect and positive future expectations in the Best Possible Self condition than in the Typical Day condition. (2) Patients in the Best Possible Self condition will show elevated positive affect and positive future expectations after the intervention compared to patients in the Typical Day condition. (3) And crucially, patients in the Best Possible Self condition will show better selective learning than patients in the Typical Day group. Thus the investigators hypothesize that the blocking effect will be higher for patients with higher degrees of positive affect and optimism.
Study Details
Timeline
Interventions
Participants are asked to think about their Best Possible Self for one minute, then describe it for 15 minutes (in writing) and, subsequently, imagine it for another 5 minutes as vividly as possible.
Participants are asked to think about their Typical Day for one minute, then describe it for 15 minutes (in writing) and, subsequently, imagine it for another 5 minutes as vividly as possible.