| Popis: |
Background: Positive affect and anhedonia are important but challenging targets for mental health treatments. Previous research indicates the potential of a computerized cognitive training paradigm involving generation of positive mental imagery, here termed positive mental imagery training (PMIT), to increase positive affect and reduce anhedonia. Aims: Our main aim was to investigate feasibility of PMIT as a positive affect-focussed transdiagnostic adjunct to treatment as usual (TAU) for patients in inpatient mental health settings (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02958228). Method: We ran an open feasibility randomized controlled trial (RCT) with three parallel arms: TAU, TAU + PMIT, and TAU + an active comparator, cognitive control training (CCT). Fifty-seven patients from two different inpatient mental health treatment clinics in Germany were randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio. PMIT or CCT consisted of an introductory session then eight 15-minute training sessions over two weeks. Clinical outcomes such as positive affect (primary outcome measure) and anhedonia were assessed at pre- and post-training, and at a further 2-week follow-up. Results: Adherence was good and attrition low. The patterns of results for the outcome data were not consistent with a specific effect of PMIT on positive affect, but were more consistent with a specific effect on anhedonia.Conclusion: The results indicate feasibility and potential promise of a larger efficacy RCT investigating PMIT as a treatment adjunct in inpatient mental health settings. Limitations include lack of researcher blinding, the small sample size, and lack of pre-specified feasibility outcomes. Anhedonia may be a more suitable primary outcome for a future larger trial. |
