Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41359611›Full record

Trial reportPloS one2025

Smartphone-supported Positive Adjustment Coping Intervention (PACI) for couples undergoing fertility treatment: A randomised controlled trial.

Franziska Kremer, Maren Schick, Sabine Roesner, Ariane Germeyer, Markus Moessner, Stephanie Bauer, Beate Ditzen, Tewes Wischmann

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03118219 (Positive Adjustment in Case of Involuntary Childlessness - a Smartphone-supported Intervention Study as RCT), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT03118219 nacompletednot on this map

Positive Adjustment in Case of Involuntary Childlessness - a Smartphone-supported Intervention Study as RCT

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity Hospital HeidelbergRan2017 to 2019Enrolled401ConditionsInfertility/SterilityArmsPositive adjustment coping intervention, Brainteaser
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Franziska KremerInstitute of Medical Psychology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1171-9478
Maren SchickInstitute of Medical Psychology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg, Germany.
Sabine RoesnerDepartment of Gynecological Endocrinology and Fertility Disorders, University Women's Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Ariane GermeyerDepartment of Gynecological Endocrinology and Fertility Disorders, University Women's Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Markus MoessnerCenter for Psychotherapy Research, University Hospital Heidelberg, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg, Germany.
Stephanie BauerCenter for Psychotherapy Research, University Hospital Heidelberg, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg, Germany.
Beate DitzenInstitute of Medical Psychology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5853-4572
Tewes WischmannInstitute of Medical Psychology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7837-0138

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCouples undergoing fertility treatment experience emotional stress. Meta-analyses show heterogeneous results regarding the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions on anxiety and depression.

objectiveThe aim of this study was to reduce psychosocial stress (anxiety, depression) in infertile patients. In addition, pregnancy rates and perceived distraction as well as perceived subjective relief were determined.

methodsIn a two-arm RCT we used "Positive Adjustment Coping Intervention (PACI)". Participants received the first of 13 daily text messages on their smartphones on the day on which the cryopreserved embryos were thawed or one day after oocyte aspiration. Patients in the PACI condition obtained daily positive adjustment statements and were asked to relate these to their personal situation at least twice a day. Patients in the comparison condition were given daily think tasks providing cognitive distraction. Anxiety and depression scores were assessed with ScreenIVF and perceived distraction as well as relief with an evaluation form.

resultsPACI did not reduce participant´s depressive scores measured with standardized questionnaire (P < .007, N = 227), did not significantly change participant´s anxiety (N = 227), nor did it increase pregnancy rates (N = 191). PACI had a significant effect on subjective perceived distraction (P = .005, N = 197) and on perceived relief (P = .026, N = 197).

conclusionThis is the first RCT to use modern media to test a simple positive adjustment cognition intervention in women and men who underwent fertility treatment. The low-dose psychosocial intervention apparently was not sufficient to reduce emotional distress during the waiting period between embryo transfer and pregnancy test. Preferably, psychosocial support for infertile individuals could be provided face-to-face to reduce the target variables depression and anxiety. However, PACI has a positive influence on perceived distraction and perceived relief.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03118219 (July 9, 2019).

Indexed as

Adaptation, PsychologicalInfertilitySmartphoneStress, PsychologicalAdultAnxietyDepressionFemaleHumansMalePregnancyPregnancy Rate

Identifiers

PMID41359611
PMCPMC12685219

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.