Testing a brief, self-guided values affirmation for behavioral activation intervention during COVID-19.

This pilot study tested a single-session digital values affirmation for behavioral activation (VABA) intervention. Hypotheses predicted the VABA intervention would be more effective than an active control condition in improving mood, decreasing COVID-19 fear/worry and depressive symptoms, and promoting positively reinforcing behaviors during early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were a diverse sample of undergraduate students ( N = 296) under a state-wide lockdown. Students were randomized to either VABA, a 10-min values clarification and affirmation task, or Control, a time- and attention-matched task. Positive and negative affects were assessed pre- and post-intervention. At next-day follow-up, positive and negative affects were reassessed, as well as past 24-h behavioral activation and depressive symptoms. Within-group increases in positive affect were observed in both conditions (VABA d  = 0.39; Control d  = 0.19). However, VABA produced a significantly larger increase than Control ( F [2] = 3.856, p  = .022, d  = 0.22). At 24-h follow-up, behavioral activation, which was significantly higher in VABA versus Control ( t [294] = -5.584, p  < .001, d = 0.65), predicted fewer depressive symptoms ( R 2 change = .019, β = -.134, p  = .003). VABA is an ultra-brief intervention that appears to have acute effects on mood-enhancement and behavioral activation.