Background: There is strong evidence that cognitive biases towards negative stimuli determine mental dysfunctions. Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) aims at reducing negativity biases using computer paradigms and disorder-specific stimuli. However, patients with emotional dysfunctions also lack a healthy bias towards positive cues. To date, only few CBM studies focused on inducing a positivity bias.Aims: (1) To develop a smartphone-based positivity training that promotes approach tendencies towards positive cues and distancing from negative ones. (2) To investigate the effectiveness of the positivity training in modifying action tendencies.
Methods: An uncontrolled pre-post-study will be conducted. Healthy participants at risk for mental dysfunctions will be included by selecting individuals with a high number of stressors and low trait optimism. The smartphone-based training will be provided for up to five minutes every day for a period of two weeks. Training stimuli include positive and negative pictures from validated picture databases that have to be swiped downwards or upwards on the display. As primary outcome, action tendencies towards affective stimuli will be assessed using the approach-avoidance task. To examine intervention effects on stress reactivity, frequency and impact of microstressors on current mood will be measured via ecological momentary assessment during the training. In the analysis, repeated-measures ANCOVA and multilevel modeling will be performed.
Perspectives: The study is the first investigating a smartphone-based positivity training. Our design allows for an ecologically valid assessment of effects. Given the high smartphone-usage worldwide, the training may have the potential to serve as a microintervention preventing symptoms of mental dysfunction