Randomized Controlled Trial of a Novel Mindset Intervention for Depression and Immune Dysregulation, United States, 2022-2023 (ICPSR 39316)
Version Date: Jan 15, 2026 View help for published
Principal Investigator(s): View help for Principal Investigator(s)
Jesse Barrera, Stanford University;
Lexi Straube, Stanford University;
Zoë Huml, Stanford University;
Rachael Yielder, University of Auckland;
Sean Zion, Stanford University;
Kris Evans, Stanford University;
Kengthsagn Louis, Boston College;
Chiara Gasteiger, University of Auckland;
Daniel Moriarity, University of Pennsylvania;
George Slavich, University of California-Los Angeles
https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR39316.v2
Version V2 (see more versions)
Summary View help for Summary
People who live through large-scale societal catastrophes such as the COVID-19 pandemic are at a heightened risk of mental illness in the years afterward, but can also experience positive changes in their sense of meaning, personal relationships, and self-esteem, among other domains. The researchers propose that differences in these mental health trajectories may be partially influenced by individuals' mindsets about the long-term effects of living through catastrophes. To test this possibility, the researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial of a brief, psychologically-wise intervention designed to promote the mindset that "catastrophes can be opportunities in the long-term." A sample of 548 adults were randomized to either the mindset intervention condition or a control task.
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Study Purpose View help for Study Purpose
The primary objective of this study is to determine whether the 'Catastrophes can be Opportunities' (CO) mindset intervention can promote Post-Traumatic Growth among Americans in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Study Design View help for Study Design
This study consisted of two cohorts, one of which (the "non-physio" participants) completed only the intervention/control tasks and questionnaires, and the other of which (the "physio" participants) also took blood samples at three time points. To be eligible for either cohort, respondents had to have completed four previous longitudinal COVID-19 surveys, and indicated an interest in participating in future studies with the Mind & Body Lab. Respondents who were interested in being part of the physio branch were emailed an invitation to complete the prescreening survey to determine medical eligibility.
The 'Catastrophes can be Opportunities' (CO) mindset intervention consisted of two parts spread out over several months. In Pt. 1, participants watched a series of 5 videos, each 2-4 minutes in length, that discussed the self-fulfilling properties of mindsets, as well as the ways that catastrophic events can open up opportunities for growth. After watching each video, participants were prompted to write about the mindsets that they held towards the COVID-19 pandemic and how these mindsets might encourage or discourage post-traumatic growth in the pandemic's aftermath. Finally, the participants learned some simple strategies for mindset change and were encouraged to identify areas of their lives in which the pandemic had motivated them to grow. In Pt. 2, participants read through their free-response answers from Pt. 1 and were prompted to write again about areas of their lives in which they wanted to grow over the next 6 months.
Pt. 1 of the control task also consisted of 5 videos, each 2-4 minutes in length. The videos provided a chronological overview of the major events of the COVID-19 pandemic from late-2019 to mid-2021. They discussed the origins of COVID-19 in China, the virus's spread around the world, and the steps that governments and scientists took to combat it. Unlike the intervention videos, they do not discuss mindsets or post-traumatic growth, nor did they encourage participants to identify ways in which they had already grown or would like to grow as a result of their experiences during the pandemic. As such, they are controlled for the intervention task's focus on the COVID-19 pandemic without promoting any given mindset towards the pandemic. After watching each video, they completed short multiple-choice questions designed to serve both as attention checks and to help participants review the material. In Pt. 2, participants were prompted to reflect back on the videos and write briefly about their experiences during the pandemic.
Sample View help for Sample
Participants were recruited in the context of a larger longitudinal survey study examining the influence of mindsets on health and well-being over the course of the pandemic*. Individuals who completed all four longitudinal surveys and indicated an interest in future research were recruited from October 10th - 15th, 2022.
*For a detailed description of this longitudinal survey study, see Making sense of a pandemic: Mindsets influence emotions, behaviors, health, and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Time Method View help for Time Method
Universe View help for Universe
American adults living through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unit(s) of Observation View help for Unit(s) of Observation
Data Type(s) View help for Data Type(s)
Mode of Data Collection View help for Mode of Data Collection
Response Rates View help for Response Rates
3560 individuals were invited to complete the participant interest form. Of these, 1148 (32%) indicated a desire to participate and met the prescreening criteria. 548 participants successfully completed the baseline survey and blood sample and were randomized. 379 completed their assigned intervention/control tasks and were included in the final analysis.
Presence of Common Scales View help for Presence of Common Scales
- Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory - Current Standing (C-PTGI)
- Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ)
- Brief Resilience Scale (BRS)
- Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS)
- 4-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4)
- Mental Health Condition - Short Form (MHC-SF): Social Well-Being Subscale
- Stress Mindset Measure (SMM)
- 6-item Primals Inventory (PI-6)
- New General Self-Efficacy Scale
- Coronavirus Impact Scale
Original Release Date View help for Original Release Date
2025-09-11
Version History View help for Version History
2026-01-15 This study has been updated to include SPSS, SAS, and Stata data and setup files, a tab-delimited data file, an R data file, and an ICPSR codebook.
2025-09-11 ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection:
- Created online analysis version with question text.
- Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes.
Notes
The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.
ICPSR usually offers files in multiple formats for researchers to be able to access data and documentation in formats that work well within their needs. If you have questions about the accessibility of materials distributed by ICPSR or require further assistance, please visit ICPSR’s Accessibility Center.
This study is maintained and distributed by the Health and Medical Care Archive (HMCA). HMCA is the official data archive of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.