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NCT Number: NCT07334106

Emotional Well-being and Measures of Healthy Aging

This randomized control study is designed to understand the role of a positive psychology intervention (PARK: Positive Affect Regulation sKills) in biological aging and well-being. PARK provides a series of positive emotion skills in a self-guided online format, making the program accessible and convenient.

Our main aims are:

Aim 1: To explore the effects of PARK on psychological well-being (e.g., depression, anxiety, positive affect).

Aim 2: To explore the effects of PARK on biological age as defined by DNA methylation (DNAm) GrimAge and electrocardiogram-age (ECG-age), as well as physiological well-being in adults (e.g., cardiovascular, endocrine, musculoskeletal functioning, etc.).

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Key information

Conditions

Aging Aging Well Aging, Biological Aging, Healthy Behavior Personal Satisfaction Psychological Well-Being

Age range

40 year–70 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Potocsnak Human Longevity Lab

Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Chelsea Brown

CONTACT

[email protected]

312-503-3712

About this study

The skills in the Positive Psychology Intervention (PPI), PARK (e.g., gratitude, mindful awareness and nonjudgement, and self-compassion) are designed to promote positive emotion, which has been shown to provide resilience against stress. Positive emotion, independent of stress and negative emotion, has also been associated with a lower risk of mortality and better health behaviors such as likelihood of physical activity and healthy eating. This randomized control study will compare baseline well-being scores to post-online intervention at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months post-baseline. Secondarily, measures of biological aging (DNAm GrimAge and ECG-age) and physiological functioning measures of cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and endocrine functioning will be explored from baseline to post-intervention measures 3 and 12 months later.

Research will be based in Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine through the Potocsnak Human Longevity Lab and the Department of Medical Social Sciences (MSS), with all study procedures conducted in-person at the Human Longevity Lab or online. Eligibility screening, consent, and assessments will be conducted on REDCap. Consenting participants randomized to the treatment group will receive access to the online PARK platform within two weeks. The intervention consists of a positive skills course (including weekly lessons and daily skills practice) and daily emotion check-ins, hosted by BrightOutcome. The skills will be delivered over approximately 6 weeks, and individuals can participate from any device and location with internet access.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 40-70
  • Speaks and reads English
  • Able to access the online platform through their phone, a public device (i.e., at the library) or at home.
  • Lives in the Chicagoland area
  • Willing/able to travel to the Human Longevity Lab for in-person visits

Exclusion criteria

  • Adults unable to consent
  • Individuals who are not yet adults (infants, children, teenagers)
  • Pregnant women
  • Prisoners
  • Vulnerable Populations
  • Pre-existing heart disease (prevalent coronary heart and cerebrovascular disease or heart failure)
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Severe psychiatric illness

Treatment and study plan

Positive Emotion Skills Intervention

Behavioral

Skills include positive events, capitalizing, gratitude, mindfulness, positive reappraisal, personal strengths, achievable goals, and self-compassion. The skills will be delivered over approximately 6 weeks, and individuals can participate from any device and location with internet access. A week will consist of 1-2 days of didactic material and 5-6 days of real-life skills practice and reporting. Participants cannot skip ahead and can only progress to the next lesson if they have completed the current one, but they can return to old lessons or exercises if they wish to.

Primary outcomes

  1. Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Positive Affect (v1.0) and PROMIS Meaning and Purpose (v1.0)

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months

    Computer Adaptive Testing measure of positive emotion and purpose. Higher scores mean a better outcome (i.e., more positive emotion). Scores can range from 9-85, and a t-score of 50 represents the mean score for the United States general population with a standard deviation of 10.

  2. PROMIS Depression (v1.0), Anxiety (v1.0), Social Isolation (v2.0)

    Time frame: baseline and 3, 6, 12 months post-baseline

    Computer Adaptive Testing measures of psychosocial well-being.

    Higher scores mean a worse outcome (i.e., more anxiety or depression). Scores can range from 9-85, and a t-score of 50 represents the mean score for the United States general population with a standard deviation of 10.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Biological Age: DNA methylation GrimAge

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 12 months

    Biological age as defined by DNA methylation GrimAge, an estimation of biological age in units of years.

  2. ECG-age (electrocardiogram-age)

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 12 months

    Artificial intelligence algorithm using electrocardiogram data to estimate participant's age in unit of years. Higher ECG-age equates to greater cardiovascular aging.

  3. Telomere Length

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 12 months

    Telomere length measures cellular aging, measured in kilobases (kb). Longer telomere length indicates less cellular aging (a better outcome).

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Chelsea S Brown

CONTACT

[email protected]

312-503-3712

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Northwestern University

Other

Collaborators

  • Potocsnak Human Longevity Lab

Registry information

Official study title

Emotional Well-being and Biomarkers of Healthy Aging

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2028
Study completion
2028
First posted
Jan 12, 2026
Registry last updated
Jan 12, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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