Targeting Components of Distress Tolerance

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn which aspects of distress intolerance (i.e., difficulties withstanding upsetting emotional states) are the most important for improving effective emotion regulation and associated mental health symptoms. The main questions it aims to answer are: How are willingness to feel upset and self-efficacy for withstanding distress associated with different emotion regulation strategies used in daily life? Does targeting willingness to feel upset and/or self-efficacy for withstanding distress help people use more effective emotion regulation strategies in daily life when they feel upset? Are improvements in emotion regulation strategies in daily life associated with fewer symptoms of mental health problems over time? Participants will: Answer questions about their moods, willingness to feel upset, self-efficacy for withstanding distress and emotion regulation strategies for three weeks using a cell phone app Undergo a willingness, self-efficacy, combined or psychoeducational control intervention in the lab Be prompted to use the intervention skill via the cell phone app during the second week, after the intervention Complete weekly reports of mental health symptoms

Eligibility

Age range

18+ years

Sex

All

Healthy volunteers

No

Interventions

• Behavioral
  Self-Efficacy

  Brief skills based psychotherapy session to increase perceived self-efficacy for withstanding distress, giving participants increased beliefs that they \*can\* do it.

• Behavioral
  Willingness

  Brief skills based psychotherapy session to increase perceived willingness to engage with distress for withstanding distress, giving participants increased motivation to try.

• Behavioral
  Psychoeducation

  Psychoeducation about the components and functions of emotion.

Location