For this study, the Renal and Cardiovascular Disease Research Laboratory has teamed up with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign School of Social Work.

This proof-of-concept study seeks to determine the feasibility and acceptability of an Internet-based positive psychology intervention for use in hemodialysis patients with  depression. Assessment metrics will include the rates of refusal, participation/attrition, and adherence to intervention activities.

For the intervention, participants will use an online program on a tablet computer during their dialysis sessions to complete exercises that help the participant learn what they’re best at, experience more gratitude, interact more constructively with their friends and loved ones, get more enjoyment out of daily activities, and feel more optimistic about the future.

By practicing these skills, the participants may be able to increase the amount of positive emotion, deep engagement, and meaning experienced in their lives. Participants will be surveyed at the beginning and end of the five weeks to determine if there were any changes in their level of optimism, happiness, or other markers of psychological well-being.