Micro-interventions Aiming to Optimize Expectations or Self-compassion to Improve Well-being/Reduce Stress and Their Differential Effects

Experimenteel: Experimental group 1: Best Possible Self

Participants are asked to think and write about their best possible future self and to imagine this positive future subsequently.

Gedragsmatig: Thinking, writing and imagining

All participants are asked to take some time to think and write about the content of the respective intervention group. After the writing exercise (approx. 15-20 min) participants are asked to imagine that content for about 5 minutes.

Experimenteel: Experimental group 2: Best Possible Self + next steps

Participants are asked to think and write about their best possible future self and what the next steps could be to reach that best possible future. Subsequently, participants are asked to imagine this positive future.

Gedragsmatig: Thinking, writing and imagining

All participants are asked to take some time to think and write about the content of the respective intervention group. After the writing exercise (approx. 15-20 min) participants are asked to imagine that content for about 5 minutes.

Experimenteel: Experimental group 3: Self-compassion

Participants are asked to think and write about a self-compassion exercise and to imagine this content subsequently.

Gedragsmatig: Thinking, writing and imagining

All participants are asked to take some time to think and write about the content of the respective intervention group. After the writing exercise (approx. 15-20 min) participants are asked to imagine that content for about 5 minutes.

Actieve vergelijker: Active control group

Participants are asked to think and write about a neutral task that is comparable to the experimental groups.

Gedragsmatig: Thinking, writing and imagining

All participants are asked to take some time to think and write about the content of the respective intervention group. After the writing exercise (approx. 15-20 min) participants are asked to imagine that content for about 5 minutes.

Change in perceived stress ratings

Participants are asked to rate how stressed they feel at the moment at two time points (baseline and the intervention) on a questionnaire (VAS: item ranges from 0 (not stressed at all) - 100 (very stressed). Change scores are calculated (post- minus pre-scores; pre-scores will be used as a covariate).

e.g.Lesage, F.-X., Berjot, S., & Deschamps, F. (2012). Clinical stress assessment using a visual ana-logue scale. Occupational Medicine, 62(8), 600-605. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqs140

Change in perceived (stress) burden ratings (resulting from perceived stress)

Participants are asked to rate how burdened they feel at the moment at two time points (baseline and the intervention) due to the experienced stress on a questionnaire (VAS: item ranges from 0 (not at all) - 100 (very much). Change scores are calculated (post- minus pre-scores; pre-scores will be used as a covariate). Indirect/opposite measure of well-being.

Change in emotions (PANAS)

Change scores are calculated for positive and negative sum scores (post- minus pre-scores; pre-scores will be used as a covariate).

Krohne, H.W., Egloff, B., Kohlmann, C.W., & Tausch, A. (1996). Experiments with a German version of the "Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Diagnostica, 42, 139-156.

Change in state optimism ratings

State Optimism measure (SOM), 7 items (each item 1(strongly disagree)-5(strongly agree)). Change scores are calculated for positive and negative sum scores (post- minus pre-scores; pre-scores will be used as a covariate). Millstein, R. A., Chung, W. J., Hoeppner, B. B., Boehm, J. K., Legler, S. R., Mastromauro, C. A., & Huffman, J. C. (2019). Development of the State Optimism Measure. General hospital psychiatry, 58, 83-93

Change in state self-compassion

Change in state self-compassion (SCS-state), 16 items (each item 1(strongly disagree) - 5 (strongly agree)). Change scores are calculated (post- minus pre-scores; pre-scores will be used as a covariate).

Breines, J. G., & Chen, S. (2013). Activating the inner caregiver: The role of support-giving schemas in increasing state self-compassion. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 49(1), 58-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2012.07.015

Satisfaction ratings with the respective intervention

e.g. "I was satisfied with the intervention" or "I feel like I had a benefit from this intervention"

Ratings directly assessing the perceived change due to the intervention

e.g. "The intervention reduced my perceived stress", "The intervention increased my feeling of being able to influence things"

Change in perceived self-efficacy (expectations)

Change in perceived self-efficacy (SWE), 10 items (each item (1(not at all) - 4(exactly)). Change scores are calculated (post- minus pre-scores; pre-scores will be used as a covariate).

SchwarzerR& Jerusalem M. Generalized Self---Efficacy scale. In J. Weinman, S. Wright, &M. Johnston, Measures in health psychology: A user's portfolio. Causal andcontrol beliefs (pp. 35---37). 1995. Windsor, England: NFER---NELSON.

Change in anxiety and depression state (STADI)

Change in anxiety and depression state (STADI), 20 items (each item 1(strongly disagree) - 4 (strongly agree)). Change scores are calculated (post- minus pre-scores; pre-scores will be used as a covariate).

Laux, L., Hock, M., Bergner-Köther, R., Hodapp, V., & Renner, K. H. (2013). The State-Trait-Anxiety-Depression-Inventory-Manual. Göttingen, Germany: Hogrefe.