RecruitingInterventional

Evaluation of self-initiated humour protocol

This research is looking into a new digital program called the Self-Initiated Humour Protocol (SIHP). The idea is to teach you how to use humour more often in your daily life to improve your mood, reduce negative feelings, and even boost your memory and thinking skills. Over eight weeks, you'll have weekly online lessons and daily practice sessions lasting about 20 minutes with the help of a digital coach. Researchers want to see how well this program works in helping healthy adults feel better and more positive. It involves interacting with a childhood avatar and a chatbot designed to guide you through humour exercises. This study is funded by the Empowered Human Foundation (UK) and run by Imperial College London.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Imperial College London

Enrolment target

Start

14 Mar 2025

Estimated completion

30 Jun 2026

Emotional well-being

What is this study about?

Imagine learning to find the funny side of everyday situations and using laughter to feel better. That's what this study is all about! Researchers at Imperial College London have created a new online program called the Self-Initiated Humour Protocol (SIHP). The aim is to help healthy adults improve their emotional well-being, lift their moods, and even sharpen their memory and thinking. It's based on the idea that you don't have to wait for jokes to happen; you can learn to create humor for yourself.

Over eight weeks, this program will teach you simple rules for seeing things in a more light-hearted way. You'll watch weekly videos and practice daily exercises for about 20 minutes with the help of a digital coach. The program also involves interacting with a digital version of your childhood self and a chatbot that guides you through different humor techniques. The researchers want to see if this method can really help people feel more positive and deal with stress better, building on promising results from a smaller study they did before.

This study is important because it could offer a new, accessible way for people to boost their emotional health. If successful, it might help many people learn to manage their feelings, reduce negative thoughts, and generally enjoy life more. It’s an opportunity to explore how our own actions and a bit of digital support can make a big difference to our well-being.

Key takeaways

Learn a new digital program (SIHP) to boost your emotional well-being.
Involves 8 weeks of daily 20-minute practice and weekly lessons.
Uses a digital coach and childhood avatar to guide you.
Aims to improve mood, reduce negative feelings, and enhance thinking skills.
Open to healthy adults (18-70) who speak fluent English.
You can withdraw from the study at any time.

Who may be eligible?

To join this study, you need to be a healthy adult aged 18 to 70 and live in Europe, Africa, Asia, North, South, or Central America. You must speak English fluently.

It's important that you don't have any current severe mental health conditions, like serious depression or anxiety, or issues with drug or alcohol addiction. You also shouldn't be starting any new psychological therapy during the eight weeks of the study. You'll need to be able to commit to the daily practice required.

If you have certain brain conditions like dementia or Parkinson's disease, or if you've recently started (within the last three months) or plan to start other psychological treatments or psychiatric medications, you won't be able to take part. Also, if you have thoughts of self-harm, this study isn't for you.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you between 18 and 70 years old?
Do you speak fluent English?
Do you live in Europe, Africa, Asia, North, South, or Central America?
Do you have a good quality childhood photo you can use?
Are you generally healthy and not currently struggling with severe depression, anxiety, or addiction?
Are you able to commit 20 minutes a day for practice, plus weekly online lessons?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part, you'll first answer some questions about yourself and your health to check if you're suitable. This will take around 20-30 minutes. If the answers suggest you might have severe depression or anxiety, the team will recommend you speak to your GP or a mental health charity like Mind.

If you're selected, you'll be given a unique ID to access an online platform. You'll join one of two groups and start the program at different times. You'll need to complete a set of questionnaires online at the beginning, just before you start the main part of the program, immediately after it finishes, and then again three months later. Each time, these questionnaires should take about 20-30 minutes to complete.

For eight weeks, you'll watch a weekly online presentation (20-45 minutes long) explaining new humour exercises. You'll then practice these exercises daily for 20 minutes using the digital platform, which includes interacting with a childhood avatar and a chatbot that guides you. You'll also write a simple diary entry each day describing your experience. The total commitment is about 20 minutes daily practice, plus weekly presentations, and questionnaires over five months.

Potential risks and benefits

While we can't guarantee you'll personally benefit, the study aims to improve the Self-Initiated Humour Protocol, which might help others in the future learn to laugh more and feel better. Our previous research suggests that learning this protocol could help you feel more positive, reduce negative feelings, and boost your thinking skills, potentially improving your overall well-being. The main challenge is the time commitment: 20 minutes every day for eight weeks, plus weekly online lessons and questionnaires at different points over five months. Starting a new learning task can feel demanding at first, and there's a small chance you might feel a little discomfort or distress when looking at certain emotions or memories. If this happens, two members of the study team who are trained clinicians will be available to offer support. You are always free to leave the study at any time without giving a reason, and your data will be deleted.

Locations (1)

Imperial College London
Approximate
London, England

Common questions

What is the Self-Initiated Humour Protocol (SIHP)?

It's an online program designed to teach you how to create humour for yourself in daily life to improve your mood and overall well-being.

How much time will I need to commit?

You'll need to commit about 20 minutes daily for practice over eight weeks, plus a weekly online lesson (20-45 minutes) and occasional questionnaires.

Will I have to travel for this study?

No, this is an entirely online study, so you can participate from home if you meet the other requirements.

What happens if I feel uncomfortable during the study?

If you experience any discomfort, two trained clinicians from the study team are available to provide support and guidance.

Who is running this study?

The study is being run by researchers at Imperial College London and is funded by the Empowered Human Foundation (UK).

How to find out more

Abbas Edalat

ae@ic.ac.uk +44 (0)2075948245 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.