Evaluation the Efficacy "Think and Cope Positively" Program (PA+)

Improving Subjective Wellbeing Despite a Severe Psychiatric Condition Through "Think and Cope Positively" Program: A Randomized Control Trial.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether an integrated protocol based on cognitive behavioural therapy, positive psychology and third generation therapies is effective in improve the subjective well-being of people affected by a severe mental illness (SMI).

The design of the study is a cluster randomized control trial with two arms. Experimental groups will receive 15 sessions to enhance positive emotions, optimism, adaptive coping, finding a purpose in life and sharing it with people who are important to the user. The control group will remain on a waitlist with their treatment as usual (TAU). After the control period (15 weeks), participants of the experimental groups have the chance to receive the intervention. Both groups will be measure before and after de 15 intervention weeks. Additionally, follow-up measures of the experimental group will be taken after 3 and 6 months.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Mental Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Experimental: experimental wellbeing promotion group (Think and Cope Positively); Behavioral: TAU

Detailed Description

This research aims to generate evidence on the usefulness of interventions focused on the well-being of people diagnosed with SMI, trying to alleviate some of the limitations found in previous protocols.

Regarding the content of the sessions, optimism, low levels of depression, social support and the degree of agreement with the therapist, have recently been identified as the factors that best predict subjective well-being in people affected by SMI. Therefore, modules on optimism and coping focused on well-being will be included, maintaining the emphasis of the work on positive emotions. By adding an individual work session in which goals and objectives are agreed upon by the therapist and user, the consensus will be strengthened between both parties. After discussing the construction of a life project throughout the protocol, the process the process will conclude with a session combined users and the special persons chosen by the participants. Both members will have the opportunity to share with each other.

Finally, we will follow the indications of recent studies which demonstrate that, in order to improve the optimistic response in psychiatric populations, it is necessary to reformulate negative thinking, practice hopeful thinking, practice gratitude and build a life project.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 449
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Spain
  • Madrid
    • Madrid, Madrid, Spain, 28036
      • UNINPSI

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Users of public psychosocial rehabilitation resources belonging to the Community of Madrid and Castilla la Mancha
• Legal age
• Clinical diagnosis of severe mental disorder: schizophrenia spectrum, bipolar disorder, personality disorders and severe affective disorders.
• Psychopathological stability (or that residual symptoms do not interfere with the course of treatment)
• Minimum level of cognitive comprehension (i.e. no comorbidity with intellectual disability).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Addiction dependence criteria (on the other hand, people with substance abuse criteria will be accepted)
• Altered behavior (relationally) that could alter the good functioning of the group.

Prior to their participation in the study, the rehabilitation team, in coordination with the research team, will assess whether the patient can benefit from the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: TAU + Wellbeing promotion group (Think and Cope Positively) Intervention; In addition to their usual treatment, participants form the experimental arm will receive 15 weekly intervention sessions, where aspects related to subjective wellbeing, life plans, alliance with the therapist or family and social relationships will be worked on.	Behavioral: Experimental: experimental wellbeing promotion group (Think and Cope Positively); Session 1: Welcome. 2: Identifying and amplifying positive emotions. 3: Experiencing positive emotions. 4: Identifying my negative "trap" thoughts. 5: Transforming my automatic thoughts into positive ones. Session 6: Experiencing my positive thoughts I. 7: Experiencing my positive thoughts II. 8: Learning to be kinder to myself. 9: Identifying a life project (Individual appointment).10: Identifying coping strategies I. 11: Identifying coping strategies II. 12: Identifying adaptive coping strategies linked to well-being. 13: Building my life purpose with my environment. 14: Helping me to build my life purpose? 15: Multi-family session, farewell and closing.; Behavioral: TAU; The usual treatment in the intervention of people affected by severe mental disorder in the network of public and subsidized centers in Spain consists of improving psychosocial functioning. To this end, and depending on the characteristics of the user, work is done in groups and individually on social skills, psychoeducation about the disease, adherence to pharmacological treatment, improvement of daily living activities, promotion of independent leisure, support to families in the process of relapse prevention, and training for labor market insertion.
Other: TAU + waiting list; The control group will continue to receive the treatment as usual in their intervention resources. At the end of the 15-week control period they will receive the intervention.	Behavioral: TAU; The usual treatment in the intervention of people affected by severe mental disorder in the network of public and subsidized centers in Spain consists of improving psychosocial functioning. To this end, and depending on the characteristics of the user, work is done in groups and individually on social skills, psychoeducation about the disease, adherence to pharmacological treatment, improvement of daily living activities, promotion of independent leisure, support to families in the process of relapse prevention, and training for labor market insertion.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Satisfaction with life scale (SWLS)	The scale evaluate hedonic well-being by 5 items with a 7-point Likert-type response scale (strongly disagree - strongly agree). Mean scores range from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicates higher hedonic well being.	This test is applied before starting the intervention protocol, immediately after the end of the 15-week intervention protocol, and at 3 and 6 months after the end of the intervention protocol.
Psychological Well-being Scale (SPWB)	The scale evaluate eudaemonic well-being by 29 items with a Likert-type scale from 1 to 6 (totally disagree - totally agree). The scale measures 6 domains of well being (self-acceptance, purpose in life, personal growth, positive relationships, autonomy and mastery of the environment). Mean scores range from 1 to 6. Higher scores indicates higher eudaemonic well being or domain.	This test is applied before starting the intervention protocol, immediately after the end of the 15-week intervention protocol, and at 3 and 6 months after the end of the intervention protocol.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Openness to the Future Scale (OFS)	This scale evaluate optimism conceptualized as a positive affective state by 10 items with a Likert-type scale from 1 to 6 (totally disagree - totally agree). Mean scores range from 1 to 6. Higher scores indicates higher optimism.	This test is applied before starting the intervention protocol, immediately after the end of the 15-week intervention protocol, and at 3 and 6 months after the end of the intervention protocol.
Therapeutic Alliance and Theory of Change Inventory (WATOCI)	This scale evaluate the alliance with the therapist by 17 items with a Likert-type scale from 1 to 7 (never - always). Mean scores range from 1 to 7. Higher score indicates higher alliance with the therapist.	This test is applied before starting the intervention protocol, immediately after the end of the 15-week intervention protocol, and at 3 and 6 months after the end of the intervention protocol.
Symptom Checklist-45 abbreviated version	This test evaluates psychological symptom by 45-items with a Likert-type scale from 0 to 4 (Not at all - Very much or extremely). The scale evaluates 9 domains (Depression, Hostility, Interpersonal sensitivity, Somatization, Anxiety, Psychoticism, Obsession-Compulsion, Phobic anxiety and, Paranoid ideation). Mean scores range from 0 to 4. A higher score indicates more intense symptoms.	This test is applied before starting the intervention protocol, immediately after the end of the 15-week intervention protocol, and at 3 and 6 months after the end of the intervention protocol.

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS)	This scale enable the monitoring of mental wellbeing in the general population and is frequently used in evaluation of projects, programs and policies which aim to improve mental wellbeing. The scale presented seven items, answered in a 5-point Likert scale from 1 to 5 (never - always or almost always). Mean scores range from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicates higher wellbeing.	This test is applied before starting the intervention protocol, at the end of each of the 15 intervention sessions, immediately after the end of the 15-week intervention protocol, and at 3 and 6 months after the end of the intervention protocol.
Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure-5 (CORE-OM)	The brief form of the CORE-OM assesses psychological distress by 5 items, which present a 5-points Likert-type scale from 0 to 4 (never - always or almost always). Mean scores range from 0 to 4. Higher scores indicates higher psychological distress.	This test is applied before starting the intervention protocol, at the end of each of the 15 intervention sessions, immediately after the end of the 15-week intervention protocol, and at 3 and 6 months after the end of the intervention protocol.
Participants' satisfaction was measured by the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8, Larsen et al., 1979).	The CSQ-8 is an 8-item measure that assessed general satisfaction with the group by a 4-points Likert-type scale from 1 to 4 (very dissatisfied - very satisfied). Mean scores range from 1 to 4. Higher scores indicate higher satisfaction.	This register is applied at the end of the 15-week intervention period.
Protocol adherence form	At the end of each session, the group therapists fill out a 10-item inventory in which they indicate the fulfillment of the session's objectives using a 3-points Likert scale 0 to 2 (not achieved - partially achieved - fully achieved).	This record is applied by the therapist at the end of each of the 15 intervention sessions. This measure will be carried out after each treatment session assessed up to 24 months
Attendance and exercise engagement form	At the end of each session, the therapists record the participants who attended the session and the performance of the exercises at home before the session and in the session.	This record is applied by the therapist at the end of each of the 15 intervention sessions. This measure will be carried out after each treatment session assessed up to 24 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universidad Pontificia Comillas
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Rocío Caballero-Campillo, Dra, UNINPSI, Universidad Pontificia Comillas

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 20, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 1, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): May 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 5, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 21, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): September 26, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 28, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 27, 2026
• Last Verified: September 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Schizophrenia; Coping; Optimism; Subjective Well-Being; Purpose of life
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders; Schizophrenia; Mental Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: 7/22-23; CX22-00110 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Fundación "la Caixa")

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No