Supporting Flow Experience in Psychotherapy Through an Inspiration Tool : a Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Patients generate ideas in many psychotherapeutic techniques. We aimed to assess whether adults with a psychiatric disorder show a reduced quality of experiences while generating ideas and whether a gamified inspiration tool improves these experiences. In total, 200 adults with and without psychiatric disorders (n = 100 each group) generated ideas within two sessions (max. 8 minutes each) as part of a 6-day psychotherapy. Participants were randomized to a gamified inspiration tool (Brain2Business™ small) plus brainstorming rules (B2B + BS group) or brainstorming rules only (BS group, n = 100 each group). Three questionnaires measured the general and domain-specific quality of experiences (i.e. positive experiences such as flow and negative experiences such as fatigue) in the two sessions. Adults with vs. without a psychiatric disorder showed a reduced general quality of experiences, but not flow, and the B2B + BS vs. BS group demonstrated a trend for increased flow but no significant effects. Additional analyses accounted for covariates, used latent factor models and assessed experience changes, showing increased flow and vitality in the B2B + BS vs. BS group. Overall, adults with psychiatric disorders showed a reduced general quality of experiences, but not flow, and a gamified inspiration tool could particularly improve flow and vitality.