Journal article
A multi-country test of brief reappraisal interventions on emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic
Nature Human Behaviour, Vol.5, pp.1089-1110
2021
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased negative emotions and decreased positive emotions globally. Left unchecked, these emotional changes might have a wide array of adverse impacts. To reduce negative emotions and increase positive emotions, we tested the effectiveness of reappraisal, an emotion-regulation strategy that modifies how one thinks about a situation. Participants from 87 countries and regions (n = 21,644) were randomly assigned to one of two brief reappraisal interventions (reconstrual or repurposing) or one of two control conditions (active or passive). Results revealed that both reappraisal interventions (vesus both control conditions) consistently reduced negative emotions and increased positive emotions across different measures. Reconstrual and repurposing interventions had similar effects. Importantly, planned exploratory analyses indicated that reappraisal interventions did not reduce intentions to practice preventive health behaviours. The findings demonstrate the viability of creating scalable, low-cost interventions for use around the world. Protocol registration These disturbing trends are caused partly by heightened levels of negative emotion and diminished levels of positive emotion, which have been found to contribute to a number of negative psychological, behavioural and health consequences. These include increased risk of anxiety and depressive disorders as well as other forms of psychopathology 14 ; impaired social connections 15 ; increased substance use 16–18 ; compromised immune system functioning 19–21 ; disturbed sleep 22 ; increased maladaptive eating 23,24 ; increased aggressive behaviour 25,26 ; impaired learning 27 ; worse job performance 28,29 ; and impaired economic decision-making 30,31. As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds around the world, we believe it is crucial to mitigate expected adverse outcomes by reducing negative emotions and increasing positive emotions. Such a change in emotions is central to increasing psychological resilience, a multifaceted concept that involves adaptive emotional responses in the face of adversity 32–34. Reappraisal—an emotion regulation strategy that involves changing how one thinks about a situation with the goal of influencing one's emotional response 35 —is a promising candidate as an intervention to increase psychological resilience due to its adaptability, simplicity and efficiency 34,36–38. In contrast to less effective emotion-regulation strategies such as suppression, reap-praisal generally leads to more successful regulation (d = 0.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [0.35, 0.56] in changing emotion experience in a meta-analysis 39 ; see caveats about interpreting effect sizes in past research in Methods, 'Sampling plan'). In particular, over the short term, reappraisal leads to decreased reports of negative emotion and increased reports of positive emotion 40–42 , as well as corresponding changes both in peripheral physiological responses 43–45 and central physiological responses 46–53. Over the longer term, reap-praisal is associated with stronger social connections 54 ; higher academic achievement 55,56 ; enhanced psychological well-being 57 ; fewer psychopathological symptoms 58,59 ; better cardiovascular health 60,61 , and greater resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic 62. Despite these shorter-term and longer-term benefits, most people do not reappraise consistently 63,64 , which has motivated efforts to teach people to use reappraisal (reviewed in refs. 65,66). For example, in the context of anxiety, reappraisal training led to reduced intrusive memories 67 and increased emotion-regulation self-efficacy 68,69. Reappraisal training also led to long-lasting changes in the neural representation of unpleasant events 70. Although demand characteristics are always a concern when examining the effects of reappraisal (given that one is teaching people to change their thinking in order to change how they're feeling, and then asking them how they feel) 71 , the wide array of self-report and non-self-report outcomes 39–53 that show reappraisal effects across studies increases confidence that these effects are real.
Details
- Title
- A multi-country test of brief reappraisal interventions on emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Authors
- Ke Wang (Author) - Harvard UniversityAmit Goldenberg (Author) - Harvard UniversityCharles A Dorison (Author) - Northwestern UniversityJeremy K Miller (Corresponding Author) - Willamette UniversityAndero Uusberg (Author) - University of TartuJennifer S Lerner (Author) - Harvard UniversityJames J Gross (Author) - Stanford UniversityBamikole Bamikole Agesin (Author) - Adekunle Ajasin UniversityMárcia Bernardo (Author) - Universidade do PortoOlatz Campos (Author) - Universidad de DeustoLuis Eudave (Author)Karolina Grzech (Author)Daphna Hausman Ozery (Author) - California State University Los AngelesEmily A Jackson (Author) - University of PennsylvaniaElkin Oswaldo Luis Garcia (Author) - Universidad de NavarraShira Meir Drexler (Author)Kermeka Desai (Author) - University of PennsylvaniaAnita Penić Jurković (Author)Kafeel Rana (Author)Zoi Gialitaki (Author)John Paul Wilson (Author) - Montclair State UniversityElizaveta Kushnir (Author)Maria Antoniadi (Author)Nadif Khaoula (Author)Olalla Niño Bravo (Author)Rafia Nauman (Author)Marlies Oosterlinck (Author)Myrto Pantazi (Author) - University of OxfordNatalia Pilecka (Author)Anna Szabelska (Author) - Queen's University BelfastI M M van Steenkiste (Author) - Leiden UniversityKatarzyna Filip (Author) - Jagiellonian UniversityAndreea Ioana Bozdoc (Author)Gabriela Mariana Marcu (Author) - Lucian Blaga University of SibiuElena Agadullina (Author) - National Research University Higher School of EconomicsMatus Adamkovic (Author) - University of PrešovMarta Roczniewska (Author)Cecilia Reyna (Author)Angelos P Kassianos (Author) - University of CyprusMinja Westerlund (Author) - Åbo Akademi UniversityLina Ahlgren (Author) - Åbo Akademi UniversitySara Pöntinen (Author) - Åbo Akademi UniversityGabriel Agboola Adetula (Author) - Adekunle Ajasin UniversityPinar Dursun (Author) - Afyon Kocatepe UniversityAzuka Ikechukwu Arinze (Author) - Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-AlikeNwadiogo Chisom Arinze (Author) - Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-AlikeChisom Esther Ogbonnaya (Author) - Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-AlikeIzuchukwu Lawrence Gabriel Ndukaihe (Author) - Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-AlikeIlker Dalgar (Author)Handan Akkas (Author)Paulo Manuel Macapagal (Author) - Arellano UniversitySavannah Lewis (Author) - Ashland UniversityIrem Metin-Orta (Author) - Atilim UniversityFrancesco Foroni (Author) - Australian Catholic UniversityMegan Willis (Author)Anabela Caetano Santos (Author)Aviv Mokady (Author) - Ben-Gurion University of the NegevNiv Reggev (Author) - Ben-Gurion University of the NegevMerve A Kurfali (Author) - Bilkent UniversityMartin R Vasilev (Author) - Bournemouth UniversityNora L Nock (Author) - Case Western Reserve UniversityMichal Parzuchowski (Author)Mauricio F Espinoza Barria (Author)Marek Vranka (Author) - Charles UniversityMarkéta Braun Kohlová (Author) - Charles UniversityIvan Ropovik (Author) - University of PrešovMikayel Harutyunyan (Author) - Charles UniversityChunhui Wang (Author) - Chinese Center For Disease Control and PreventionElvin Yao (Author) - Claremont Graduate UniversityMaja Becker (Author) - University of ToulouseEfisio Manunta (Author) - University of ToulouseGwenael Kaminski (Author) - Institut Universitaire de FranceDafne Marko (Author) - University of LjubljanaKortnee Evans (Author) - Murdoch UniversityDavid M G Lewis (Author) - Murdoch UniversityAndrej Findor (Author) - Comenius University BratislavaAnais Thibault Landry (Author) - Concordia UniversityJ. J. B. R Aruta (Author)Manuel S Ortiz (Author) - Universidad de La FronteraZahir Vally (Author) - United Arab Emirates UniversityEkaterina Pronizius (Author)Martin Voracek (Author) - University of ViennaClaus Lamm (Author)Maurice Grinberg (Author)Ranran Li (Author) - Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamJaroslava Varella Valentova (Author) - University of Sao PauloGiovanna Mioni (Author) - University of PaduaNicola Cellini (Author) - University of PaduaSau-Chin Chen (Author) - Tzu Chi UniversityJanis H Zickfeld (Author) - University of OsloKaris Moon (Author) - Kingston UniversityHabiba Azab (Author) - Baylor College of MedicineNeil Louis Levy (Author) - Macquarie UniversityAlper Karababa (Author)Jennifer L Beaudry (Author) - Swinburne University of TechnologyLeanne Boucher (Author) - Nova Southeastern UniversityW Matthew Collins (Author) - Nova Southeastern UniversityAnna Louise Todsen (Author) - University of St AndrewsKevin van Schie (Author) - University of CambridgeJáchym Vintr (Author) - Charles UniversityJozef Bavolar (Author)Lada Kaliska (Author) - Matej Bel UniversityValerija Križanić (Author) - University of OsijekLara Samojlenko (Author) - University of PrimorskaRazieh Pourafshari (Author) - University of TehranSandra J Geiger (Author) - University of AmsterdamJulia Beitner (Author) - Goethe University FrankfurtLara Warmelink (Author) - Lancaster UniversityRobert M Ross (Author) - Macquarie UniversityIan D Stephen (Author) - Macquarie UniversityThomas Hostler (Author) - Manchester Metropolitan UniversitySoufian Azouaghe (Author) - Mohammed V UniversityRandy J McCarthy (Author) - Northern Illinois UniversityAnna Szala (Author) - Oakland UniversityCaterina Grano (Author) - Sapienza University of RomeClaudio Singh Solorzano (Author) - Sapienza University of RomeGulnaz Anjum (Author) - Simon Fraser UniversityWilliam Jiménez-Leal (Author)Maria Bradford (Author) - Universidad de Los AndesLaura Calderon Perez (Author) - Universidad de Los AndesJulio E Cruz Vásquez (Author) - Universidad de Los AndesOscar J Galindo-Caballero (Author) - Universidad de Los AndesJuan Camilo Vargas-Nieto (Author) - Universidad de Los AndesOndrej Kacha (Author) - University of CambridgeAlexios Arvanitis (Author) - University of CreteQinyu Xiao (Author) - University of Hong KongRodrigo Carcamo (Author) - Universidad de MagallanesSasa Zorjan (Author) - University of MariborZuzanna Tajchman (Author) - University of MinnesotaIris Vilares (Author) - University of MinnesotaJeffrey M Pavlacic (Author)Jonas R Kunst (Author) - University of OsloChristian K Tamnes (Author) - University of OsloClaudia C von Bastian (Author) - University of SheffieldMohammad Atari (Author) - University of Southern CaliforniaMohammad Hasan Sharifian (Author)Monika Hricova (Author) - University of Pavol Jozef ŠafárikPavol Kačmár (Author)Jana Schrotter (Author) - University of Pavol Jozef ŠafárikRima-Maria Rahal (Author) - Tilburg UniversityNoga Cohen (Author) - University of HaifaSaeideh FatahModares (Author)Miha Zrimsek (Author) - University of LjubljanaIlya Zakharov (Author) - Psychological Institute of the Russian Academy of EducationMonica A Koehn (Author) - Western Sydney UniversityCelia Estaban-Serna (Author) - University College LondonRobert J Calin-Jageman (Author) - Dominican UniversityAnthony J Krafnick (Author) - Dominican UniversityEva Strukelj (Author) - Sapienza University of RomePeder M Isager (Author) - Eindhoven University of TechnologyJan Urban (Author) - Charles UniversityJaime R Silva (Author) - Universidad del DesarrolloMarcel Martoncik (Author)Sanja Batic Ocovaj (Author)Dusana Sakan (Author)Anna O Kuzminska (Author) - University of WarsawJasna Milosevic Djordjevic (Author) - Singidunum UniversityInes A T Almeida (Author) - University of CoimbraAna Cristina Gonçalves Ferreira (Author) - Universidade Federal de AlfenasLjiljana B Lazarevic (Author)Harry Manley (Author)Danilo Zambrano Ricaurte (Author) - Fundación Universitaria Konrad LorenzRenan P Monteiro (Author) - Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do SulZahra Etabari (Author) - Ferdowsi University of MashhadErica D Musser (Author) - Florida International UniversityDaniel Dunleavy (Author) - Florida State UniversityWeilun Chou (Author) - Fo Guang UniversityHendrik Godbersen (Author) - FOM University of Applied Sciences for Economics and ManagementSusana Ruiz-Fernandez (Author) - FOM University of Applied Sciences for Economics and ManagementCrystal Reeck (Author) - Temple University, JapanCarlota Batres (Author) - Franklin & Marshall CollegeKomila Kirgizova (Author)Abdumalik Muminov (Author)Flavio Azevedo (Author) - Friedrich Schiller University JenaDaniela Serrato Alverez (Author) - Fundación Universitaria Konrad LorenzMuhammad Mussaffa Butt (Author)Jeong Min Lee (Author) - Georgia State UniversityZhang Chen (Author) - Ghent UniversityFrederick Verbruggen (Author) - Ghent UniversityIgnazio Ziano (Author) - Grenoble Ecole de ManagementMurat Tumer (Author) - Hacettepe UniversityAbdelilah C A Charyate (Author)Dmitrii Dubrov (Author) - National Research University Higher School of EconomicsMaria del Carmen Tejada Rivera (Author) - Universidad del DesarrolloChristopher Aberson (Author)Bence Palfi (Author) - University of SussexMonica Alarcon Maldonado (Author)Barbora Hubena (Author) - Charles UniversityAsli Sacakli (Author)Chris D Ceary (Author) - Indiana University of PennsylvaniaKarley L Richard (Author) - Indiana University of PennsylvaniaGage Singer (Author) - Indiana University of PennsylvaniaJennifer T Perillo (Author) - Indiana University of PennsylvaniaTonia Ballantyne (Author) - Indiana University of PennsylvaniaWilson Cyrus-Lai (Author) - INSEADMaksim Fedotov (Author)Hongfei Du (Author)Magdalena Wielgus (Author) - Jagiellonian UniversityIlse L Pit (Author) - University of OxfordMatej Hruška (Author)Daniela Sousa (Author) - University of CoimbraBalazs Aczel (Author) - Eötvös Loránd UniversityBarnabas Szaszi (Author) - Eötvös Loránd UniversitySylwia Adamus (Author) - Jagiellonian UniversityKrystian Barzykowski (Author) - Jagiellonian UniversityLeticia Micheli (Author) - Leibniz University HannoverNadya-Daniela Schmidt (Author) - University of HildesheimAndras N Zsido (Author) - University of PecsMariola Paruzel-Czachura (Author)Michal Białek (Author)Marta Kowal (Author)Agnieszka Sorokowska (Author)Michal Misiak (Author)Debora Mola (Author) - Universidad Nacional de CórdobaMaria Victoria Ortiz (Author) - Universidad Nacional de CórdobaPablo Sebastian Correa (Author) - Universidad Nacional de CórdobaAnabel Belaus (Author) - Universidad Nacional de CórdobaFany Muchembled (Author)Rafael R Ribeiro (Author)Patricia Arriaga (Author)Raquel Oliveira (Author)Leigh Ann Vaughn (Author)Paulina Szwed (Author) - Jagiellonian UniversityMalgorzata Kossowska (Author) - Jagiellonian UniversityGabriela Czarnek (Author) - Jagiellonian UniversityJulita Kielinkska (Author) - Jagiellonian UniversityBenedict Antazo (Author) - Jose Rizal Memorial State UniversityRuben Betlehem (Author) - University of OsijekStefan Stieger (Author) - Karl Landsteiner University of Health SciencesGustav Nilsonne (Author) - Stockholm UniversityNicolle Simonovic (Author) - Kent State UniversityJennifer Taber (Author) - Kent State UniversityAmelie Gourdon-Kanhukamwe (Author) - Institute for Globally Distributed Open Research and EducationArtur Domurat (Author) - Kozminski UniversityKeiko Ihaya (Author) - Kyushu UniversityYuki Yamada (Author)Anum Urooj (Author) - La Trobe UniversityTripat Gill (Author) - Wilfrid Laurier UniversityMartin Čadek (Author) - Leeds Beckett UniversityLisa Bylinina (Author) - Leiden UniversityJohanna Messerschmidt (Author)Murathan Kurfali (Author) - Stockholm UniversityAdeyemi Adetula (Author) - Université Grenoble AlpesEkaterina Baklanova (Author) - Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityNihan Albayrak-Aydemir (Author) - London School of Economics and Political ScienceHeather B Kappes (Author) - London School of Economics and Political ScienceBiljana Gjoneska (Author)Thea House (Author) - Macquarie UniversityMarc V Jones (Author) - Manchester Metropolitan UniversityJana B Berkessel (Author) - University of MannheimWilliam J Chopik (Author) - Michigan State UniversitySami Coksan (Author)Martin Seehus (Author) - University of VermontAhmed Khaoudi (Author) - Mohammed V UniversityAhmed Bokkour (Author) - Mohammed V UniversityKanza Ait El Arabi (Author) - Mohammed V UniversityIkhlas Djamai (Author) - Mohammed V UniversityAishwarya Iyer (Author) - Sampurna Montfort College - Bengaluru, IndiaNeha Parashar (Author)Arca Adiguzel (Author)Halil Emre Kocalar (Author)Carsten Bundt (Author) - University of OsloJames O Norton (Author) - Murdoch UniversityMarietta Papadatou-Pastou (Author)Anabel De la Rosa-Gomez (Author)Vladislav Ankushev (Author) - National Research University Higher School of EconomicsNatalia Bogatyreva (Author) - National Research University Higher School of EconomicsDmitry Grigoryev (Author) - National Research University Higher School of EconomicsAleksandr Ivanov (Author) - National Research University Higher School of EconomicsIrina Prusova (Author) - National Research University Higher School of EconomicsMarina Romanova (Author) - National Research University Higher School of EconomicsNandor Hajdu (Author) - Eötvös Loránd UniversityIrena Sarieva (Author) - National Research University Higher School of EconomicsMaria Terskova (Author) - National Research University Higher School of EconomicsEvgeniya Hristova (Author) - New Bulgarian UniversityVeselina Hristova Kadreva (Author)Allison Janak (Author) - New York UniversityVidar Schei (Author) - Norwegian School of EconomicsTherese E Sverdrup (Author)Adrian Dahl Askelund (Author)Lina Maria Sanabria Pineda (Author) - Universidad de Los Andes, ChileDajana Krupic (Author)Carmel A Levitan (Author) - Occidental CollegeNiklas Johannes (Author)Nihal Ouherrou (Author)Nicolas Say (Author)Sladjana Sinkolova (Author)Kristina Janjic (Author)Marija Stojanovska (Author)Dragana Stojanovska (Author)Meetu Khosla (Author) - University of DelhiAndrew G Thomas (Author) - Swansea UniversityFranki Y H Kung (Author)Gijsbert Bijlstra (Author) - Radboud University NijmegenFarnaz Mosannenzadeh (Author) - Radboud University NijmegenBusra Bahar Balci (Author) - Samsun UniversityUlf-Dietrich Reips (Author)Ernest Baskin (Author) - Saint Joseph's UniversityByurakn Ishkhanyan (Author)Johanna Czamanski-Cohen (Author) - University of HaifaBarnaby J W Dixson (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - LegacySee full text of article of full list of authors (Author)
- Publication details
- Nature Human Behaviour, Vol.5, pp.1089-1110
- Publisher
- Nature Publishing Group
- DOI
- 10.1038/s41562-021-01173-x
- ISSN
- 2397-3374
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research; School of Health - Psychology
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99579408402621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
91 Record Views
InCites Highlights
These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output
Highly Cited Paper
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Neurosciences
- Psychology, Biological
- Psychology, Experimental
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites