Improving well-being and health in heart failure patients

A Novel Behavioral Intervention to Promote Adherence in Heart Failure

Not applicable Interventional Massachusetts General Hospital · NCT04829617

This study is testing a new phone-based program that combines positive psychology and motivational support to see if it can help heart failure patients improve their health and well-being over six months.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment280 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorMassachusetts General Hospital Academic / other
Locations1 site (Boston, Massachusetts)
Trial IDNCT04829617 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study tests a 12-week phone-delivered Positive Psychology-Motivational Interviewing (PP-MI) intervention, supplemented by health behavior text messages over 24 weeks, for patients with New York Heart Association class I-III heart failure. The goal is to evaluate the intervention's effectiveness on health behavior adherence, psychological outcomes, and cardiovascular health markers. Participants will engage in two visits for assessments and monitoring, with a focus on improving quality of life and reducing hospitalizations.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with NYHA class I, II, or III heart failure who struggle with adherence to health behaviors.

Not a fit: Patients with cognitive deficits, severe medical conditions, or those currently engaged in similar interventions may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this intervention could enhance health behaviors and overall well-being in heart failure patients, potentially leading to better health outcomes.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promise in using motivational interviewing and positive psychology approaches for improving health outcomes, suggesting this intervention could be effective.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Adult patients with NYHA class I, II, or III HF.
* Suboptimal adherence to health behaviors. This will be defined as a total score of ≤15 on three Medical Outcomes Study Specific Adherence Scale (MOS) items regarding diet/exercise/medications.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Cognitive deficits impeding a participant's ability to provide informed consent or participate, assessed via a 6-item cognitive test.
* Medical conditions likely to lead to death within 6 months.
* Inability to participate in physical activity due to another medical condition (e.g., arthritis).
* Inability to read, write, or speak in English.
* Current participation in another intervention or program that has been designed to promote well-being or health behavior adherence.

Where this trial is running

Boston, Massachusetts

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Heart FailureHeart Failure NYHA Class IHeart Failure NYHA Class IIHeart Failure NYHA Class IIIPositive PsychologyPhysical ActivityLow-Sodium DietMedication Adherence
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.