Differences In Positive Affect Research Articles

Subjective wellbeing of autistic adolescents and young adults: A cross sectional study.

Subjective wellbeing (SWB) represents an individual's perception of wellness that is supported by homeostatic mechanisms. These mechanisms are proposed to be maintained by low negative affect and high positive affect, although less is known about these mechanisms and SWB in autism. The current cross-sectional study aimed to compare patterns of positive affect, negative affect (Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale), and SWB (Personal Wellbeing Index-School Children) between autistic (n = 53) and non-autistic (n = 49) individuals aged 10-22 years (Mage = 13.97, SD = 3.13). Between-group t-tests revealed that compared with same-age peers, autistic participants scored lower SWB overall (p < 0.001). In both groups average SWB scores fell into the higher range, however, autistic participants were three-times more likely to fall below this range when compared to non-autistic participants. Negative affect had a higher intercept in the autistic sample, but no difference in slopes were observed. A hierarchical multiple regression revealed that diagnosis, positive affect, and negative affect significantly predicted SWB in our sample. Between-group t-tests found no significant difference in positive affect or negative affect across age between the autistic and non-autistic samples. In autistic participants, positive affect increased across age as SWB decreased, whilst negative affect remained stable, a pattern inconsistent with homeostatic SWB. The current study is overall consistent with the homeostatic explanation for SWB within autism; however, we identified potential differences between autistic and non-autistic participants in the contribution of positive affect and negative affect to homeostatic protect mood across development.

The Impact of Online Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Group Therapy on Anxiety and Affect of College Students who Work on Undergraduate Thesis

In order to complete an undergraduate degree in Indonesian, college students are mandated to finish their undergraduate thesis (usually called as ‘skripsi’ in Indonesian) in their final year of study. Finishing an undergraduate thesis is known to be a challenging process as one’s ability in problem solving, writing, and conducting research is tested. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of online group Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in reducing anxiety and negative affect and also increasing positive affect in college students who are currently working on their undergraduate thesis. This study is conducted using a quasi-experimental research design including an experimental (n = 22) and control group (n = 8). The data is collected in 3 time points (pretest, posttest, and 1 month follow-up) using GAD-7 to measure anxiety and PANAS to measure positive and negative affect. It is found that the experimental group had significantly lower score of anxiety (F(2, 56) = 15.90, p = &lt; .001) and negative affect (F (2, 56) = 8.76, p = &lt;0.001) at the follow-up. However, there was no significant mean difference in positive affect. In conclusion, online group MBSR is effective in reducing college students’ anxiety and negative affect during the completion of undergraduate thesis.

Impact of exposure to natural versus urban soundscapes on brain functional connectivity, BOLD entropy and behavior

BackgroundHumans have been moving from rural to urban environments for decades. This process may have important consequences for our health and well-being. Most previous studies have focused on visual input, and the auditory domain has been understudied so far. Therefore, we set out to investigate the influence of exposure to natural vs urban soundscapes on brain activity and behavior. MethodsResting-state fMRI data was acquired while participants (N = 35) listened to natural and urban soundscapes. Two affective questionnaires (the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and the Perceived Stress Scale) and two cognitive tasks (dual n-back (DNB) and the backward digit-span (BDS)) were assessed before and after each soundscape condition. To quantify brain function we used complexity and network measures, namely brain entropy (BEN) and whole brain functional connectivity (FC). To study the link between brain and behavior, changes in BEN and whole brain FC were correlated to changes in cognitive performance and self-reported affect. ResultsWe found higher BEN when listening to urban sounds in posterior cingulate gyrus, cuneus and precuneus, occipital lobe/calcarine as compared to nature sounds, which was negatively correlated to (post-pre) differences in positive affect (PANAS) in the urban soundscape condition. In addition, we found higher FC between areas in the auditory, cinguloopercular, somatomotor hand and mouth networks when listening to nature as compared to urban sounds which was positively correlated to (post-pre) differences of the of the composite score of Digit span and N-back for nature soundscape. ConclusionsThis study provides a framework for the neural underpinnings of how natural versus urban soundscapes affect both whole brain FC and BEN and bear implications for the understanding of how the physical auditory environment affects brain function and subsequently observed behavior. Moreover, correlations with cognition and affect reveal the meaning that exposure to soundscapes may have on the human brain. To the best of our knowledge this is the first study to analyze BEN and whole brain FC at rest during exposure to nature and urban soundscapes and to explore their relationship to behavior.

Daily life positive affect regulation in early adolescence: Associations with symptoms of depression.

Individual differences in positive affect (PA) are related to a host of salient developmental outcomes, including social functioning, physical health, and psychopathology. One factor that may contribute to individual differences in PA involves individual differences in PA regulation, which may be broadly categorized into strategies to enhance PA and strategies to dampen PA. To date, however, factors contributing to individual differences in youth PA regulation have been largely understudied. Thus, the present study examined associations between youth depressive symptoms and (a) the implementation and (b) the effectiveness of enhancing and dampening regulation in daily life settings. Participants included 146 early adolescents (52.1% girls; ages 10-14; M[SD] = 12.71[.86]). Youth depressive symptoms were measured using self-report on the CDI-SF. Youth PA and use of enhancing and dampening regulation were assessed 3-4 times per day for a period of 9 days using smartphone-based experience sampling methods (31 total assessments). Results of multilevel structural equation models indicated that depressive symptoms predicted individual differences in youth implementation of dampening but not enhancing regulation. Cross-level interaction analyses indicated that depression did not predict the effectiveness of enhancing or dampening regulation in modulating youth subsequent PA. Findings indicate that youth reporting more depressive symptoms engage in greater dampening of PA relative to their peers, but that PA up- and down-regulation strategies are no more or less effective among early adolescents experiencing elevated levels of depression. Results have implications for understanding mechanisms of risk and resilience across development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Different path to happiness: The role of basic psychological need satisfaction in benefiting close and distant others

Numerous studies show that prosocial behavior leads to positive emotional outcomes for the actor, yet does it matter, who the beneficiary is? The present paper explores differential effects of helping acts towards close versus distant recipients on subjective well-being and the role that basic psychological needs play in this relationship. Two studies using event-recall ( N = 127) and interventional ( N = 305) designs in Russian samples were conducted to test our hypotheses. Study 1 showed that performing acts of kindness towards family and friends (compared to a control condition) led to higher satisfaction of the needs for relatedness and morality, while helping strangers increased only the latter. Study 2 failed to unconditionally replicate the prosocial-happiness link; however, when the need for competence was controlled for, helping both types of recipients was shown to provide higher event-level well-being outcomes. The positive effect of prosocial acts toward strong ties was mediated by relatedness and morality satisfaction, while when the recipient was a stranger, the effect was accounted for by fulfilling the needs for morality and autonomy. No significant event-level well-being differences were detected between those helping close versus distant others and no differences in positive affect, negative affect or life satisfaction emerged between the three conditions. The paper provides support for the importance of the self-perceived impact for the success of kindness interventions. We conclude with a discussion of implications for kindness interventions towards different recipients.

Thriving under pressure: The effects of stress-related wise interventions on affect, sleep, and exam performance for college students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Nearly all students experience stress as they pursue important academic goals. Because stress can be magnified for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, it becomes important to identify interventions that can help mitigate this stress, particularly for these populations as they enter academic environments. We examine the effects of stress mindset and stress management interventions administered to students from disadvantaged backgrounds (N = 140) before freshman year. We compare effects on affect, sleep, and performance during end-of-year exams seen in a subset of these students who could be tracked via experience sampling (N = 57) to those of a comparison group at the same elite university (N = 74) receiving no such stress interventions. As predicted, we find significant differences in exam-week positive affect between the stress mindset and comparison groups. However, there was no difference in positive affect between the stress mindset and management groups or the stress management and comparison groups. For negative affect, stress, sleep, and exam performance, we find no significant differences between any of the three groups. However, both stress interventions decoupled the significant negative association between exam-week stress and exam performance exhibited by the comparison group, rendering the relationship nonsignificant. The reduction in this association was somewhat more pronounced for the mindset relative to the management group. These findings suggest that mindset and management approaches both confer benefits in certain circumstances and highlight the potential value of targeting mindsets about stress using a "wise intervention" approach for students from disadvantaged backgrounds during stressful times. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The Psychological Mechanisms Underlying Solomon's Paradox: Impact of Mood and Self-Transcendence.

Solomon’s paradox of wise reasoning, in which performance of wisdom differs when reasoning on an issue in one’s own life vs. another’s life, has been supported by robust evidence. However, the underlying psychological mechanism remains unclear. This asymmetry of wise reasoning may be explained by the different mindsets of self-transcendence when people reason about various conflicts (personal vs. others’), and mood should play a fundamental role. To explore this issue, three hundred ninety-nine participants were recruited to test a hypothesized model. The results supported the effect of Solomon’s paradox—that is, participants endorsed wise-reasoning strategies more strongly when resolving others’ social conflicts than their own. Further mediation analysis showed that the sequential mediation model was supported. Solomon’s paradox can be explained by the difference in positive affect and self-transcendence when reasoning about the two conflicts. This study directly verifies the mediating role of self-transcendence in Solomon’s paradox. At the same time, reasoning about personal affairs reduces individuals’ self-transcendence mindset, and positive affect can explain the differences. These results are helpful for understanding and effectively avoiding Solomon’s wisdom dilemma.

Longitudinal Study of the Psychological Impact of the Contingency Response to COVID-19 in Mexico

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries have implemented prevention and care measures, among which voluntary confinement stands out. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychological impact of the contingency response due to COVID-19 in Mexico, considering time and level of confinement, participation in pleasurable activities during confinement, and responses derived from the economic recovery plan of the government. The study had a longitudinal design with two evaluations involving 158 people from 17 to 76 years of age who answered the questionnaires within 9 weeks. People with high confinement levels showed significant differences in positive affect, stress, and depression; people with low confinement levels and those who continued to work showed greater affection. Those who reported not having participated in pleasant activities during their confinement showed low results, and those who reported having been more worried about the economic recovery plan had a higher score in worry and a lower score in life satisfaction. It can be concluded that although psychological support interventions should focus on people in confinement, greater efforts that contribute to improving quality of life and well-being should be directed to those who work during public health contingency responses.

Are people with social anxiety disorder happier alone?

Quality contact with other people serves as a reliable mood enhancement strategy. We wondered if the emotional benefits of socializing are present even for those with a psychological disorder defined by social distress and avoidance: social anxiety disorder (SAD). We conducted two ecological momentary assessment (EMA) studies and analyzed 7243 total surveys. In both studies, community adults diagnosed with SAD and healthy controls received five surveys each day for 2 weeks. Consistent with research on positivity deficits in SAD, between-person analyses in both studies suggest that, on average, participants with SAD reported lower positive and higher negative affect in social and non-social situations than healthy controls. Within-person analyses, however, revealed that in both studies participants with SAD and healthy controls reported higher positive affect when with others than when alone; no differences were found for negative affect for those with SAD. The difference in positive affect between social and nonsocial situations was smaller for participants with SAD in Study 1, suggesting that people with SAD may experience diminished reward responding when socializing. Our results suggest that even those with a mental illness defined by interpersonal distress can and do derive positive emotions from social interactions.

The role of brand personality in the formation of consumer affect and self-brand connection

PurposeThis study aims to explore the role of brand personality traits in explaining how different levels of brand favorability evoke affect from and forge connections to consumers.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used a quantitative approach consisting of within-subjects (Study 1) and between-subjects (Study 2) experimental designs. Mediation analyses were tested using OLS regression with the MEMORE and PROCESS macros.FindingsFindings suggest increases in brand excitement and sincerity to be related to differences in positive affect evoked by favorable and unfavorable brands; decreases in brand sincerity to be related to differences in negative affect between favorable and unfavorable brands (Study 1); brand competence and excitement to be related to the relationship between brand favorability and self-brand connection; and brand competence and excitement to best distinguish favorable brands from unfavorable brands (Study 2).Originality/valueThese results support the importance of brand personality traits that are considered to be universally positive and provide managers with an initial roadmap for which brand personality traits should be prioritized when communicating with consumers.

Evaluating the Role of a Socially Assistive Robot in Children's Mental Health Care.

Socially assistive robots (SARs) present a promising intervention for addressing the increasing prevalence of childhood stress. This innovative technology has become increasingly common in practical implementation. However, empirical support has not kept pace with the robots’ growing popularity. The present study set out to provide an empirical test of the stress-buffering capability of this technology. We examined the effects of the presence of an SAR on self-reported measures of stress in a community sample of 70 children (40 girls, 30 boys) between the ages of 7 and 10 years old. Child participants were randomly assigned to either a robot-present or a robot-absent condition during the Trier Social Stress Test for Children. Contrary to our predictions, we did not detect a stress-buffering effect of the presence of the robot. Instead, the primary analysis showed that the robot’s presence led to a larger decrease in positive affect following the task. However, further analyses found no significant difference in positive affect when accounting for baseline group differences. Exploratory analyses of the nature of children’s interactions with the SAR during the stressful task found that higher levels of parent-reported social anxiety were associated with greater prosocial behaviors towards the SAR, thus signifying a potential target for future interventions. Further work on SARs is needed to determine the optimal timing and robotic specifications that would maximize the potential of this developing technology to improve children’s mental health care.

Extracellular Dopamine Levels in Nucleus Accumbens after Chronic Stress in Rats with Persistently High vs. Low 50-kHz Ultrasonic Vocalization Response.

Fifty-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in response to an imitation of rough-and-tumble play (‘tickling’) have been associated with positive affective states and rewarding experience in the rat. This USV response can be used as a measure of inter-individual differences in positive affect. We have previously shown that rats with persistently low positive affectivity are more vulnerable to the effects of chronic variable stress (CVS). To examine whether these differential responses are associated with dopaminergic neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), juvenile male Wistar rats were categorized as of high or low positive affectivity (HC and LC, respectively), and after reaching adulthood, extracellular dopamine (DA) levels in the NAc shell were measured using in vivo microdialysis after three weeks of CVS. Baseline levels of DA were compared as well as the response to K+-induced depolarization and the effect of glial glutamate transporter EAAT2 inhibition by 4 mM l-trans-pyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylate (PDC). DA baseline levels were higher in control LC-rats, and stress significantly lowered the DA content in LC-rats. An interaction of stress and affectivity appeared in response to depolarization where stress increased the DA output in HC-rats whereas it decreased it in LC-rats. These results show that NAc-shell DA is differentially regulated in response to stress in animals with high and low positive affect.

The relationship between co-playing and socioemotional status among older-adult game players

This study aimed to investigate differences in socioemotional status and perceptions of video games among older adult co-players, solo players, and non-players of video games. We collected data on these three groups through a survey of 190 Korean participants between the ages of 50 and 69 years (Mean age = 59.2). Results showed that co-players expressed a higher positive affect and well-being, higher companionship and emotional support, and more positive perceptions of video games than solo players and non-players. However, there was no difference in positive affect and well-being between solo players and non-players, and solo-players experienced higher levels of companionship and emotional support than non-players. Among co-players, there was no significant difference in socioemotional status between those who mainly played in co-located settings and those who played in Internet-mediated settings. In addition, positive perception mediated between frequency of game play and positive socioemotional status within playing groups. We subsequently examined ways to promote co-playing in older adults and highlight the importance of considering the social context when designing video games for older adults.

Effects of hunger on mood and affect reactivity to monetary reward in women with obesity - A pilot study.

Worldwide, nearly 3 million people die every year because of being overweight or obese. Although obesity is a metabolic disease, behavioral aspects are important in its etiology. Hunger changes the rewarding potential of food in normal-weight controls. In obesity, impairments related to reward processing are present, but it is not clear whether these are due to mental disorders more common among this population. Therefore, in this pilot study, we aimed at investigating whether fasting influence mood reactivity to reward in people with obesity. Women with obesity (n = 11, all mentally healthy) and normal weight controls (n = 17) were compared on a computerized monetary reward task (the wheel of fortune), using self-reports of mood and affect (e.g., PANAS and mood evaluation during the task) as dependent variables. This task was done in 2 satiety conditions, during fasting and after eating. Partially, in line with our expectation of a reduced affect and mood reactivity to monetary reward in participants with obesity accentuated by fasting, our results indicated a significant within-group difference across time (before and after the task), with monetary gains significantly improving positive affect in healthy controls (p>0.001), but not in individuals with obesity (p = 0.32). There were no significant between-group differences in positive affect before (p = 0.328) and after (p = 0.70) the task. In addition, women with obesity, compared to controls, reported more negative affect in general (p < 0.05) and less mood reactivity during the task in response to risky gains (p < 0.001) than healthy controls. The latter was independent of the level of satiety. These preliminary results suggest an impairment in mood reactivity to monetary reward in women with obesity which is not connected to the fasting state. Increasing the reinforcing potential of rewards other than food in obesity may be one target of intervention in order to verify if that could reduce overeating.

Effects of Therapist Positioning within Patient Preferred Live Music on Positive and Negative Affect, Pain, and Trust in the Therapist with Adults on a Cardiovascular Unit: A Three-Group Randomized Pilot Effectiveness Study

Background: Although patient preferred live music (PPLM) can improve mood and pain with hospitalized adult medical patients, there is a lack of literature concerning therapist positioning within PPLM interventions.&#x0D; Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of therapist positioning within PPLM on positive and negative affect, pain, and trust in the therapist with adults on a cardiovascular unit.&#x0D; Methods: Participants (N = 27) were randomly assigned to one of three single-session conditions: PPLM delivered with the therapist sitting, PPLM delivered with the therapist standing, or wait-list control. Positive and negative affect were measured with the Global Mood Scale, pain was measured with a 10-point Likert-type scale, and trust in therapist was measured with the Wake Forest Physician Trust Scale.&#x0D; Results: Results indicated no significant between-group difference in positive affect, negative affect, or pain. Control participants had the lowest posttest positive affect scores and highest posttest negative affect and pain scores, indicating that both PPLM conditions had more favorable results than the control condition. Concerning trust in the therapist, there was no significant between-group difference resultant of therapist positioning. &#x0D; Conclusion: Regardless of the therapist’s positioning, a single PPLM session can be an effective intervention for immediately improving positive and negative affect and pain for adult inpatients on a cardiovascular unit. Implications for clinical practice, limitations, and suggestions for future research are provided. &#x0D; Keywords: music therapy, patient preferred live music, cardiovascular, positive and negative affect, pain, trust in the therapist

THE UPSIDE OF GETTING OLD: TESTING A MODEL OF OLDER AGE AND BETTER EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING

Older adults often report better emotional well-being than younger adults. Socioemotional Selectivity Theory posits that with age, reduced future time perspective motivates prioritizing emotional well-being in the present moment (Carstensen, 2006). Mindfulness, a receptive attention to experiences as they occur (Brown & Ryan, 2003), and savoring, the ability to regulate positive feelings in the moment (Bryant, 2003), are present-oriented processes associated with greater well-being. Recent evidence indicates that greater mindfulness in part accounts for age differences in positive affect (Shook et al., 2017). The current study investigated whether older age is associated with a greater present-oriented time perspective, which in turn is related to greater savoring and mindfulness, thus statistically accounting for older adults’ better well-being. Participants (N = 888, 20-88 years, Mage = 46.37, SD = 15.20) recruited via MTurk completed an online survey. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The model provided an adequate fit to the data (CMIN/DF = 2.94, CFI = 0.985, RMSEA = 0.048). Older age was associated with greater present-oriented time perspective, and present-oriented time perspective was associated with greater savoring and mindfulness which, in turn, were associated with better emotional well-being. Alternative models were tested, but did not significantly improve model fit. Findings suggest that there may be benefits for younger adults’ well-being if they learned to be more present focused, savor the moment, and be more mindful like older adults. Thus, present-oriented time perspective may be an important factor for healthy aging.

Usefulness of a Positive Psychology-Motivational Interviewing Intervention to Promote Positive Affect and Physical Activity After an Acute Coronary Syndrome

Most patients are not able to achieve recommended levels of physical activity following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Existing interventions to promote activity have not focused on promoting psychological well-being, which is independently linked to superior cardiac health. To address this gap, we developed and tested a combined positive psychology-motivational interviewing (PP-MI) intervention in post-ACS patients to assess its feasibility and explore potential benefits in an initial randomized trial. We compared a 12-week, phone-delivered, PP-MI intervention to an attention-matched, MI-based health education control condition among 47 post-ACS patients with low baseline health behavior adherence. Feasibility/acceptability were assessed through rates of session completion and participant session ratings; we also explored between-group differences in positive affect, other self-reported outcomes, and accelerometer-measured physical activity, through mixed effects regression models, at 12 and 24 weeks. PP-MI participants completed a mean of 10.0 (standard deviation 2.2) sessions (84%), and mean participant ratings of sessions' ease/utility were >8/10, above a priori thresholds for success. Compared with the control condition, PP-MI was associated with greater improvements in positive affect at 12 and 24 weeks (12 weeks: estimated mean difference [EMD] = 3.90 [SE = 1.95], p = 0.045, effect size [ES] = 0.56; 24 weeks: EMD = 7.34 [SE = 2.16], p <0.001, ES = 1.12). PP-MI was also associated with more daily steps at 12 weeks (EMD = 1842.1 steps/day [SE = 849.8], p = 0.030, ES = 0.76) and greater moderate-vigorous activity at 24 weeks (EMD = 15.1 minutes/day [SE = 6.8], p = 0.026, ES = 0.81). In conclusion, PP-MI was feasible in post-ACS patients and showed promising effects on well-being and physical activity; additional studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Just how miserable is work? A meta-analysis comparing work and non-work affect

Although we spend much of our waking hours working, the emotional experience of work, versus non-work, remains unclear. While the large literature on work stress suggests that work generally is aversive, some seminal theory and findings portray working as salubrious and perhaps as an escape from home life. Here, we examine the subjective experience of work (versus non-work) by conducting a quantitative review of 59 primary studies that assessed affect on working days. Meta-analyses of within-day studies indicated that there was no difference in positive affect (PA) between work versus non-work domains. Negative affect (NA) was higher for work than non-work, although the magnitude of difference was small (i.e., .22 SD, an effect size comparable to that of the difference in NA between different leisure activities like watching TV versus playing board games). Moderator analyses revealed that PA was relatively higher at work and NA relatively lower when affect was measured using “real-time” measurement (e.g., Experience Sampling Methodology) versus measured using the Day Reconstruction Method (i.e., real-time reports reveal a more favorable view of work as compared to recall/DRM reports). Additional findings from moderator analyses included significant differences in main effect sizes as a function of the specific affect, and, for PA, as a function of the age of the sample and the time of day when the non-work measurements were taken. Results for the other possible moderators including job complexity and affect intensity were not statistically significant.

The (Dis)Pleasures of Creativity: Spontaneous Eye Blink Rate during Divergent and Convergent Thinking Depends on Individual Differences in Positive and Negative Affect

AbstractPrevious research has demonstrated that individual differences in affect and motivation predict divergent and convergent thinking performance, two thinking processes involved in creative idea generation. Individual differences in affect and motivation also predict spontaneous eye blink rate (sEBR) during divergent and convergent thinking; and sEBR predicts divergent and convergent thinking performance. This study investigates experimentally whether the relationship between sEBR and divergent and convergent thinking depends on individual differences in affect and motivation. Eighty‐two participants completed the Emotion/motivation‐related Divergent and Convergent thinking styles Scale (EDICOS; G. Soroa et al., 2015), performed the alternative uses task (AUT; divergent thinking) or the remote associates task (RAT; convergent thinking), while their sEBR was captured with an eye‐tracker. The results showed that individual differences in positive affect positively correlated with sEBR for the AUT, whereas individual differences in negative affect positively correlated with sEBR for the RAT. Furthermore, the interaction between individual differences in positive and negative affect and sEBR predicted divergent and convergent thinking performance. The contribution of our study is therefore that individual differences in positive and negative affect can both positively correlate with sEBR during divergent and convergent thinking; and that this predicts divergent and convergent thinking performance.

A randomized, controlled trial of mindfulness-based stress reduction in HIV infection

ObjectiveEvidence links depression and stress to more rapid progression of HIV-1 disease. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to test whether an intervention aimed at improving stress management and emotion regulation, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), would improve immunological (i.e. CD4+ T-cell counts) and psychological outcomes in persons with HIV-1 infection. MethodsWe randomly assigned participants with HIV-1 infection and CD4 T-cell counts >350 cells/μl who were not on antiretroviral therapy in a 1:1 ratio to either an MBSR group (n = 89) or an HIV disease self-management skills group (n = 88). The study was conducted at the University of California at San Francisco. We assessed immunologic (CD4, c-reactive protein, IL-6, and d-dimer) and psychological measures (Beck Depression Inventory for depression, modified Differential Emotions Scale for positive and negative affect, Perceived stress-scale, and mindfulness) at 3, 6 and 12 months after initiation of the intervention; we used multiple imputation to address missing values. ResultsWe observed statistically significant improvements from baseline to 3-months within the MBSR group in depression, positive and negative affect, perceived stress, and mindfulness; between group differences in change were significantly greater in the MBSR group only for positive affect (per item difference on DES-positive 0.25, 95% CI 0.049, 0.44, p = .015). By 12 months the between group difference in positive affect was not statistically significant, although both groups had trends toward improvements compared to baseline in several psychological outcomes that were maintained at 12-months; these improvements were only statistically significant for depression and negative affect in the MBSR group and perceived stress for the control group. The groups did not differ significantly on rates of antiretroviral therapy initiation (MBSR = 39%, control = 29%, p = .22). After 12 months, the mean decrease in CD4+ T-cell count was 49.6 cells/μl in participants in the MBSR arm, compared to 54.2 cells/μl in the control group, a difference of 4.6 cells favoring the MBSR group (95% CI, −44.6, 53.7, p = .85). The between group differences in other immunologic-related outcomes (c-reactive protein, IL-6, HIV-1 viral load, and d-dimer) were not statistically significant at any time point. ConclusionsMBSR improved positive affect more than an active control arm in the 3 months following the start of the intervention. However, this difference was not maintained over the 12-month follow-up and there were no significant differences in immunologic outcomes between intervention groups. These results emphasize the need for further carefully designed research if we are to translate evidence linking psychological states to immunological outcomes into evidence-based clinical practices.