Testing a brief, self-guided values affirmation for behavioral activation intervention during COVID-19

ABSTRACT

This pilot study tested a single-session digital values affirmation for behavioral activation (VABA) intervention. Hypotheses predicted the VABA intervention would be more effective than an active control condition in improving mood, decreasing COVID-19 fear/worry and depressive symptoms, and promoting positively reinforcing behaviors during early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were a diverse sample of undergraduate students (N = 296) under a state-wide lockdown. Students were randomized to either VABA, a 10-min values clarification and affirmation task, or Control, a time- and attention-matched task. Positive and negative affects were assessed pre- and post-intervention. At next-day follow-up, positive and negative affects were reassessed, as well as past 24-h behavioral activation and depressive symptoms. Within-group increases in positive affect were observed in both conditions (VABA d = 0.39; Control d = 0.19). However, VABA produced a significantly larger increase than Control (F[2] = 3.856, p = .022, d = 0.22). At 24-h follow-up, behavioral activation, which was significantly higher in VABA versus Control (t[294] = −5.584, p < .001, d = 0.65), predicted fewer depressive symptoms (R² change = .019, β = -.134, p = .003). VABA is an ultra-brief intervention that appears to have acute effects on mood-enhancement and behavioral activation.

KEYWORDS:

• Digital intervention
• positive mood
• committed action
• self-affirmation
• depression

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data are available upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work.