Recruiting

Observational Study

Sponsor:

Northwestern University

Code:

NCT06962527

Conditions

Intolerance of Uncertainty

Anxiety

Intolerance of Uncertainty; Anxiety

Depression, Anxiety

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 25 - 60

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Uncertainty-focused single session intervention

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle single session intervention

Study Details

Brief summary:

The present work aims to test whether a single session intervention alters ambiguity aversion, both in terms of people's decision making and their brain responses to ambiguous choices.

Conditions

Intolerance of Uncertainty

Anxiety

Intolerance of Uncertainty; Anxiety

Depression, Anxiety

Study ID

NCT06962527

Start date

Jul 7, 2025

Status verified date

Mar, 2026

Completion date

Dec 31, 2029

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jul 1, 2029

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 25 - 60

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Ages 25 to 60
2. Right-handed
3. Ability to read and write English
4. Capacity to provide informed consent
5. Intolerance of uncertainty score ≥ -0.5 standard deviation below the mean (31st percentile)

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Personal history of psychosis, mania, or hypomania
2. Personal history of autism spectrum disorder
3. IQ < 80 as determined by the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading
4. Head injury with greater than 120 seconds loss of consciousness
5. Neurological condition (e.g., epilepsy, Parkinson's, cerebral palsy, history of stroke)
6. Currently pregnant
7. Use of any implanted electrical device (e.g., pacemaker, spinal stimulator, vagal nerve stimulator, Inspire sleep apnea device, etc.).

Study Design

Enrollment

140 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Uncertainty-focused single session intervention

This is a digital, self-guided SSI that teaches adults about tolerating and embracing uncertainty in their life. The SSI is based on five elements: 1. An introduction the concept of neuroplasticity; 2. Testimonials from peers describing beliefs that people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are malleable, given the brain's capacity for change; 3. Strategies (from cognitive-behavioral therapy) for applying these principles to participants' lives; 4. Further vignettes by peers describing times when they tolerated or embraced uncertainty; 5. An exercise wherein participants provide advice to fictional peers, using newly-gleaned information about uncertainty,

placebo comparator: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle single session intervention

This is a digital, self-guided SSI that teaches adults about the benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle (e.g., proper sleep, diet, exercise), emphasizing recommendations by various bodies (e.g., American Medical Association). It is structurally similar to the uncertainty-focused SSI but is designed to mimic what people would receive in their annual physical with a primary care physician. The goals of this intervention is to encourage participants to identify aspects of a healthy lifestyle, and steps they could take towards a healthier lifestyle. This SSI is designed to control for nonspecific aspects of intervention, including engagement in a computer program, reading and writing exercises, and vignettes from peers.

Interventions

Uncertainty-focused single session intervention

Digitally/computer administered 30-minute self-guided intervention for adults ages 25-60

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle single session intervention

Digitally/computer administered 30-minute self-guided intervention for adults ages 25-60

Primary outcome measure

  • Beck Hopelessness Scale-4 (BHS-4) [ Time Frame: 1 hour ]
  • Behavioral ambiguity aversion [ Time Frame: 1 hour ]
  • Event-related potential responses to ambiguous choices [ Time Frame: 1 hour ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Brent I Rappaport, Ph.D.

(312) 585-6603decisionmaking@northwestern.edu

Locations

Northwestern University

Recruiting

Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611

Contacts

Brent I Rappaport, Ph.D.

(312) 585-6603‬decisionmaking@northwestern.edu

Principal Investigator:

Brent I Rappaport, Ph.D.

More Information

Sponsor

Northwestern University

Last update posted

May 26, 2026

Last verified

Mar, 2026

Keywords

  • Ambiguity aversion
  • Intolerance of uncertainty
  • Computational modeling
  • EEG/ERP

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-08. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Northwestern University on 2026-05-26.