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Updated: May 20, 2026
Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
[Evaluation of Digital and Systemic Short Interventions to Enhance Emotional Competence: A Pilot Feasibility Study]
Avelina Lovis-Schmidt1, Tina Schönemann1, Maja Riedel1
1Psychologie, Technische Universität Chemnitz, Chemnitz, Germany.
Objective:
The present pilot feasibility study aimed to evaluate newly developed digital brief interventions designed to enhance emotional competence (EC) across different target groups (parents, romantic partners, small groups). The approach differs from traditional psychoeducation by combining behavior-activating elements with the involvement of close relational partners.
Methods:
Four groups were compared: (1) an intervention group (IG, n=18) completing two units from different target groups; (2) an active control group (CGa, n=18) receiving psychoeducational videos without active practice elements; (3) a second intervention group (SPEA, n=15) completing two exercises from a single target group; and (4) a passive control group (CGp, n=31) receiving no intervention. EC was assessed via self-report (EKF short scales, 16 items) at four measurement points over a period of three to four months. In addition, recruitment, attrition, and feasibility were examined descriptively as exploratory feasibility indicators.
Results:
Compared to the active control group, the intervention group showed higher EC scores at the third measurement point (d=0.91-1.49). Cross-target exercises also proved more effective than target-specific ones (d=0.37-0.95). However, effects diminished at follow-up. Participation and completion rates suggested that the digital format was feasible in this pilot setting.
Discussion:
As pilot findings, the results suggest that activating digital brief interventions with a systemic focus may outperform passive knowledge delivery. Nevertheless, the large effects should be interpreted with caution due to small sample sizes, baseline differences, and reliance on self-report measures.
Conclusion:
Digital, systemically oriented brief interventions show promising initial evidence as a low-threshold complement to in-person trainings and pure psychoeducation. Further randomized studies with larger samples and multimethod assessment are needed to replicate the findings and evaluate their utility for clinical practice and prevention.
