Current Studies

Interested in participating in one of our studies?

If you are interested in participating in one of our studies please Contact Us.

Study Volunteers Needed

Our research team at UC San Diego is conducting a study to learn more about the effects of a behavioral treatment program designed to improve positive emotions, behaviors, and associated brain systems. We are seeking volunteers who experience feelings of anxiety or depression. The results of this study may help develop procedures to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve positive emotions and well-being.

Eligibility Criteria include:

Ages 18-55
Experiencing anxiety and/or depression
MRI compatible
Not taking daily psychiatric medications

The study involves a brief phone screen to determine initial eligibility. If you agree to participate in this screening, you will be asked questions regarding your anxiety, mood, medication use, health conditions, and MRI safety. If the phone screen shows your initial eligibility, we will schedule you for an interview to determine your final eligibility (~1.5 hours) and you will be compensated $10.

If eligible, you will be invited to complete the baseline assessments, which include questionnaires, computer and behavioral tasks, a brain imaging session, and daily surveys for five days. You will be compensated $30 for the baseline assessment (~3 hours), $75 for the MRI session (~3 hours), and up to $35 for the daily surveys (~1 hour). You will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. Both groups will complete a 6-session program. One group will be presented with exercises designed to increase positive thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. The other group will be presented with exercises designed to help manage stress. At the end of the program, you will be invited to complete the same assessments that you completed at baseline (~6 hours and up to $140 compensation). You will also be invited to complete a 3-month follow-up assessment for an additional $10 (~1 hour).

Parts of this study may be conducted remotely. To learn more about this study, please send us a reply so that we may follow-up with you.

What should I expect while participating?

Initial Evaluation

To determine eligibility for one of our research programs, people first undergo:

An initial phone consultation/evaluation
A structured clinical interview
Assessment of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional functioning
Feedback and recommendations

Assessment Procedures

Participants are then asked to complete several of the following assessments before and after the program:

Questionnaires
Computer and behavioral tasks

Remote Participation

Parts of this study may be completed remotely.