Background
Much research testing positive psychological interventions (PPIs) has focused on the outcome of emotion regulation; in contrast research testing the effects of attention bias modification (ABM) has tended to focus on the process of emotion regulation. Evidence is sparse and inconsistent concerning the processes involved in emotion regulation in PPIs (i.e., why PPIs regulate emotions), the outcome of emotion regulation in ABM programs (i.e., if ABM programs affect emotions), and the combined effects on the process and outcome of emotion regulation.
Hypotheses/Research Questions
In the current study, the researchers test the effects of the gratitude letter PPI and a positive attention bias modification program using positive and neutral pictures on the process and outcome of emotion regulation.
Sample Characteristics and Sample Size
Participants (n = 117) were undergraduates at a midwestern university between the ages of 18 and 37 (Mage = 19.31, SD = 2.38) and were mostly female (n = 76; 65.0%) and White (n = 80; 68.4%).
Design
Participants completed either a control or gratitude letter with either a positive or control ABM, then completed an eye-tracking task and self-report measures.
Results
We found that the gratitude letter increased positive affect immediately after completion and the positive ABM biases reaction times immediately after their completion, p = .002; however, the effects of the interventions on affect were only maintained throughout the study when paired together, p = .008. Further, we found evidence that the gratitude letter and the gratitude with the positive ABM program increases initial orienting towards and difficulty disengaging from emotion-inducing images, p < .001.
Scientific Contribution
The results suggest that combining the gratitude letter with a positive ABM program can produce strong effects on both the process and outcome of emotion regulation. We discuss the implications for clinical practice and future research.