Self-affirmation (SA) theory proposes that people are motivated to maintain a positive self-image of being worthy, stable, and capable. Self-affirmation (SA) manipulations have been shown to effectively increase self-worth as well as reduce cardiovascular reactivity while enhancing cardiovascular recovery in response to stress. While SA is discussed as a way to alleviate grief, its effect on cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) and recovery to grief recall has yet to be studied within laboratory settings. This study proposes an experimental design to examine how an in-lab manipulation promoting self-affirmation can improve patients' cardiovascular responses during and after a grief recall procedure. The investigators hypothesized that grief severity (a continuous variable) interacts with condition (a categorical variable with two levels, i.e., SA intervention vs. control) to predict CV reactivity and recovery as outcomes. Primary Objective 1: To investigate effects of self-affirmation intervention on cardiovascular responses among grieving participants during and after grief recall. Secondary Objective 1: To investigate the relationship of grief severity with psychological stress.
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Hypothesis 1: There will be a main effect of self-affirmation condition on CV reactivity and recovery to the grief recall task
Timeframe: Two months after the last participant data collection.
Hypothesis 2: Grief severity (as measured by the PG-13 Questionnaire) will moderate the effect of the self-affirmation condition on cardiovascular reactivity and recovery.
Timeframe: Two months after the last participant.
Hypothesis 3 (Exploratory): There will be a mediated moderation effect: the self-report measurement of self-worth mediates the change in cardiovascular reactivity, moderated by grief severity.
Timeframe: Two months after the last participant data collection.
Hypothesis 4-1: Grief is related to psychological stress among young adult grieving participants: depression
Timeframe: Two months after the last participant.
Hypothesis 4-2: Grief is related to psychological stress among young adult grieving participants: anxiety
Timeframe: Two months after the last participant.
Hypothesis 4-3: Grief is related to psychological stress among young adult grieving participants: worries
Timeframe: Two months after the last participant.
Hypothesis 4-4: Grief is related to psychological stress among young adult grieving participants: perceived stress
Timeframe: Two months after the last participant.
Hypothesis 4-5: Grief is related to psychological stress among young adult grieving participants: sleep quality
Timeframe: Two months after the last participant.
Hypothesis 4-6: Grief is related to psychological stress among young adult grieving participants: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Timeframe: Two months after the last participant.
Hypothesis 5-1 (exploratory): Grief Severity is associated with meaning violation
Timeframe: Two months after the last participant.
Hypothesis 5-2 (exploratory): Grief Severity is associated with perceived inclusion
Timeframe: Two months after the last participant.
Hypothesis 5-3 (exploratory): Grief Severity is associated with complicated relationship
Timeframe: Two months after the last participant.