Can catastrophes be opportunities? A randomized clinical trial testing a brief mindset intervention for reducing inflammation and depression following COVID-19

Survivors of major catastrophes face significant mental health risks but may also experience growth in meaning, relationships, and self-esteem. Two years after the onset of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we conducted a randomized clinical trial to test the effects of an intervention that promotes the mindset that “catastrophes can be opportunities in the long-term” on mental health and well-being. Adults were randomized to a mindset intervention (n = 226) or control group (n = 153). The mindset group watched five brief videos that reinforced that “catastrophes can be opportunities in the long-term” and wrote about their mindsets toward the COVID-19 pandemic and how these might encourage or discourage post-traumatic growth. The control group watched videos on the chronology of the pandemic and completed questions reviewing their knowledge. Mindsets regarding catastrophes-as-opportunities, post-traumatic growth, anxiety, depression, and the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed. The mindset intervention significantly reduced CRP (p = 0.030) and depressive symptom levels (p = 0.009) at 3 months post-intervention. In addition, changes in mindset significantly mediated the effects of the intervention on posttraumatic growth, depressive symptoms, and other domains of mental health and well-being. Brief mindset interventions may thus have beneficial biological and clinical effects for individuals going through major catastrophes.