Intervention effects
DISORDERS, EMA
The present findings not only replicate but substantially extend previous evidence on AR: Most prior studies focused on small samples, patients with full-threshold mental disorders, or single outcomes assessed with conventional questionnaires. In contrast, our study was based on a comparatively large sample of high-risk individuals with elevated psychopathological symptoms but without full-threshold mental disorders at study entry. Various internalizing and externalizing symptoms and other health-related psychological outcomes were assessed using established scales. To minimize retrospective memory and reporting biases and evaluate the efficacy in real-life contexts, diagnostic information was collected via smartphone-based EMA in time to experience five times daily for one week at each wave. Taken together, our findings suggest that AR training promotes successful transfer to everyday life, indicating that AR can be used effectively to manage daily stressful situations.