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NCT03784001 · ClinicalTrials.gov registry record · NA
The Effects of Manipulating Expectations in a Gratitude Intervention
A NA study, sponsored by University of California, Los Angeles.
- Completed
- Registry status
- NA
- Development phase
- 125
- Enrollment target
NCT03784001: Completed NA study, sponsored by University of California, Los Angeles.
NCT03784001 is a NA study that has completed, run by University of California, Los Angeles. The registered enrollment target is 125 participants, below the 1,404-participant average among 58,714 other NA trials with a reported enrollment target (91% lower). According to ClinicalTrials.gov, the official US trial registry.
The verdict
NCT03784001, a NA study, has completed, sponsored by University of California, Los Angeles.
- COMPLETED
- Registry status
- NA
- Development phase
- 125 participants
- Enrollment target
Study Summary
Gratitude - an emotion felt when an individual receives something beneficial from other people or entities - has been shown to positively affect well-being. Beginning in 2003, "count your blessings" interventions - in which participants list items they are grateful for, and gratitude letter writing interventions were designed to cultivate gratitude. Gratitude interventions have many positive outcomes; they can increase well-being and life satisfaction (Froh, Sefick, \& Emmons, 2008) and increase self-esteem (Rash, Matsuba, \& Prkachin, 2011) to name a few. Knowing the benefits of gratitude prior to an intervention could affect participant behavior and health outcomes. Past studies have illustrated that sharing information about treatments changes expectations and improves outcomes (Zion \& Crum, 2018). For instance, overt medical treatments are more effective than hidden ones (Colloca, Lopiano, Lanotte, \& Benedetti, 2004). The proposed study is designed to evaluate whether expectations about intervention efficacy can enhance the benefits of a brief gratitude intervention. Specifically, the investigators will test if providing information on the benefits of gratitude will enhance intervention outcomes. This 3-armed randomized controlled trial will have the following conditions: gratitude + expectation, gratitude, and events control. Participants will be undergraduate college students and the online intervention will last two weeks. Participants in the two gratitude conditions will login to an online form three times a week for two weeks and make entries of up to five things they are grateful for. The form for participants in the gratitude + expectation condition will also provide information about benefits of gratitude. An everyday events control will be used to provide a neutral comparison condition. This group will be instructed to type up to five things or events of note from their day on their form. Outcome measures will be collected via an online survey bef
Primary Outcome
Hedonic well-being, eudaimonic well-being, and overall well-being were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Well-being was measured with the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF; Keyes, 2009). Participants rated how often they felt 14 different emotions or statements, such as "happy" and "satisfied with life". Items are rated on a 6-point likert scale (0 = never, 5 = everyday). This measure assesses both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. The MHC-SF is both reliable and valid for us
Interventions
- BEHAVIORAL Gratitude + No Expectations Intervention
- BEHAVIORAL Gratitude + Expectations Intervention
- BEHAVIORAL Events Control Intervention
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 125 participants |
| Start Date | 2019-02-05 |
| Est. Completion | 2019-02-28 |
| Phase | NA |
What the finished NCT03784001 record still lists
NCT03784001 is an interventional study that assigns participants to a tested intervention. The registered 125 participants enrollment target is mid-sized for trials with a published cap, below the 1,404-participant average among 58,714 other NA trials with a reported enrollment target (91% lower).
The record links to 0 conditions, and to 3 interventions - of which Gratitude + No Expectations Intervention is the first listed.
NCT03784001 does not publish any study locations in the registry export this page uses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT03784001 about?
NCT03784001 is a clinical study titled "The Effects of Manipulating Expectations in a Gratitude Intervention". Gratitude - an emotion felt when an individual receives something beneficial from other people or entities - has been shown to positively affect well-being. Beginning in 2003, "count your blessings" interventions - in which participants list items they are grateful for, and gratitude letter writing ...
What is the current status of trial NCT03784001?
This trial is currently completed. It is a NA study. The enrollment target is 125 participants. The study started on 2019-02-05. Estimated completion is 2019-02-28.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT03784001?
The interventions under investigation include: Gratitude + No Expectations Intervention (BEHAVIORAL), Gratitude + Expectations Intervention (BEHAVIORAL), Events Control Intervention (BEHAVIORAL).
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT03784001?
This trial is sponsored by University of California, Los Angeles, which has 897 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Learn More About Clinical Trials
How this trial's enrollment target compares
Where NCT03784001's enrollment target sits among peer trials
125 753rd of 2000 higher than 1,243 of 2,000 other NA trials
participants (enrollment target), bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more other NA trials. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source ClinicalTrials.gov registry export · 2026-08-08
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