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Amplification of Positivity for Anxiety and Depression

N/A
Waitlist Available
Research Sponsored by University of California, San Diego
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Between the ages of 18-55, inclusive
Be between 18 and 65 years old
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up baseline 5-day period to post-intervention 5-day period, 10 weeks
Awards & highlights

Study Summary

This trial is testing a new treatment, Amplification of Positivity (AMP), intended to help people with anxiety and/or depression by improving their social connections. One hundred participants will be randomly assigned to either AMP or stress management training (SMT), and will be assessed at baseline and after treatment. The primary outcome measure is change in brain activity in response to social reward cues; it is hypothesized that the AMP group will experience greater increases than the SMT group. Secondary outcome measures include physiological, behavioral, and emotional responses to social reward.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for adults aged 18-55 with anxiety or depression, who speak English well enough to participate in study procedures. They must have certain scores on mental health questionnaires indicating a need for treatment and be willing to consent to the study. Exclusions include severe brain injury, neurological disorders, unstable medical conditions, recent substance abuse (except mild cases), current heavy medication use affecting brain function, vision/hearing issues that can't be corrected, MRI contraindications like metal implants or pregnancy.Check my eligibility
What is being tested?
The trial tests a new behavioral treatment called Amplification of Positivity (AMP) against Stress Management Training (SMT). Both involve six sessions aimed at improving social connections in people with anxiety/depression. The effects will be measured through changes in brain response to social rewards and improvements in social connectedness after the treatments.See study design
What are the potential side effects?
Since this is a behavioral intervention focusing on training sessions rather than medication or invasive procedures, significant physical side effects are not anticipated. However, participants may experience emotional discomfort when discussing personal experiences related to their mental health condition.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
Select...
I am between 18 and 55 years old.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~baseline 5-day period to post-intervention 5-day period, 10 weeks
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and baseline 5-day period to post-intervention 5-day period, 10 weeks for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Outcome measures can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary outcome measures
Change from baseline in neural activation during social reward processing
Change from baseline in social functioning as measured by the NIH Toolbox Companionship (Friendship and Loneliness) Surveys
Secondary outcome measures
Change from baseline in future approach motivation in response to a social interaction task
Change from baseline in positive affect in response to a social interaction task
Change from baseline in positive facial expressions in response to a social interaction task
+2 more
Other outcome measures
Change from baseline in anhedonic depressive symptoms as measured by Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire - Short Form (MASQ-SF)
Change from baseline in anxiety as measured by PROMIS Anxiety 7a survey
Change from baseline in anxiety-related general distress as measured by Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire - Short Form (MASQ-SF)
+39 more

Trial Design

2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Group I: Amplification of Positivity Training (6 Sessions)Experimental Treatment1 Intervention
Group II: Stress Management Training (6 Sessions)Active Control1 Intervention

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

University of California, San DiegoLead Sponsor
1,120 Previous Clinical Trials
1,521,501 Total Patients Enrolled
21 Trials studying Anxiety Disorders
1,232 Patients Enrolled for Anxiety Disorders

Frequently Asked Questions

These questions and answers are submitted by anonymous patients, and have not been verified by our internal team.

Are there vacancies within this clinical experiment that can be filled?

"Current updates on clinicaltrials.gov show that this investigation is currently taking part in participant recruitment, which began after the trial was first posted on March 29th 2021 and last revised October 6th 2021."

Answered by AI

Is an age restriction in place for joining this medical trial?

"This clinical trial is only available to participants aged between 18 and 55. Conversely, there are 269 studies for people under the age of majority, as well as 1155 for seniors over 65."

Answered by AI

What is the current participant threshold for this clinical experiment?

"Affirmative. Data hosted on clinicaltrials.gov reveals that this medical study, which was first posted on March 29th 2021, is actively recruiting for 100 patients at 1 site."

Answered by AI

What is the ultimate objective of this investigation?

"The main outcome to be monitored at Baseline and 10 weeks is the alteration in social functioning, as assessed via NIH Toolbox Companionship (Friendship and Loneliness) Surveys. Secondary objectives include measuring variations from baseline for current positive affect linked with a social interaction task (via the state version of PANAS), prospective approach motivation related to such an interaction (measured by DFI scale on a 7 point scale,) and any changes in social approach behaviour when confronted with similar circumstances (rated using self-disclosure & responsiveness on a 7 point scale)."

Answered by AI

May I be included in the research protocol?

"Hopeful participants should meet the criteria of having depression and falling within the age range of 18 to 55. Currently, this trial requires an enrolment of 100 individuals in total."

Answered by AI

Who else is applying?

What state do they live in?
California
How old are they?
18 - 65
What site did they apply to?
Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute
What portion of applicants met pre-screening criteria?
Did not meet criteria
Met criteria
How many prior treatments have patients received?
0
2
3+

Why did patients apply to this trial?

I am hesitant to go on medications. So this is my effort to try something different. My anxiety is imposing on all aspects of my life.
PatientReceived no prior treatments

What questions have other patients asked about this trial?

Are screenings in person or online?
PatientReceived no prior treatments

How responsive is this trial?

Average response time
  • < 1 Day
Typically responds via
Phone Call
Most responsive sites:
  1. Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute: < 24 hours
Recent research and studies
Depression and AnxietyJournal
Upregulating the Positive Affect System in Anxiety and Depression: Outcomes of a Positive Activity Intervention
Taylor, Charles T., Sonja Lyubomirsky, and Murray B. Stein. 2017. “Upregulating the Positive Affect System in Anxiety and Depression: Outcomes of a Positive Activity Intervention”. Depression and Anxiety. Wiley. doi:10.1002/da.22593.
clinicaltrials.govStudy
Amplification of Positivity to Enhance Social Connections in Anxiety and Depression
Charles Taylor 2021. "Amplification of Positivity to Enhance Social Connections in Anxiety and Depression". ClinicalTrials.gov. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04945239.
~33 spots leftby Apr 2025
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