What helps with achieving goals when feeling low?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Using mental imagery to enhance goal achievement in participants with low mood and depression: A three- group comparison
IRAS ID
162183
Contact name
Lisa Keane
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 8 months, 31 days
Research summary
According to research, the probability of achieving a goal can be enhanced by imagining the successful completion of that goal or by specifying a plan for the completion of that goal (e.g. when/ where the task will be completed). As motivation and goal achievement can often be particularly challenging for those with low mood, the aim is to investigate whether those who use mental imagery, or those who devise a verbal plan for when/where they are going to carry out their goal (known as implementation intentions (II)), are more likely to achieve their chosen task when compared to people not using either of these two strategies.
This has significant implications for IAPT services, and CBT delivery in general. We know that those people who complete homework tend to do better in therapy. Therefore, if we can establish and refine techniques that help people to complete homework tasks then hopefully more people will benefit from therapy.
The aim is to recruit approximately 75 participants with low mood/depression (25 participants for each strategy: imagery, II and no strategy) from psychological therapy services, and nhs/non-nhs websites. Each person will be randomly allocated to one of the three strategy conditions. Following an assessment for suitability, participants will then be asked to devise three goals that they would like to achieve over the upcoming week. In the mental imagery group, participants would be asked to imagine themselves successfully achieving their goals. The implementation intentions group would be asked to devise concrete plans for the successful completion of their goals. The control group would be asked to devise three goals they would like to achieve, without receiving any further suggestions about how they should approach these goals.
Participants would be followed up one week later to see whether the tasks were completed or not.
REC name
Wales REC 7
REC reference
15/WA/0109
Date of REC Opinion
27 Apr 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion