Department of Defense

The development of this intervention, Be A Depression Lifeline, is guided by previous research findings across different research domains. Mistargeted communication and self-distancing are utilized to minimize counter-argumentation to the persuasive message from individuals with depression. Prior research experimentally manipulating communication style (i.e., direct vs. mistargeted; Siegel et al., 2015) and self-distancing (Hollar & Siegel, 2020, 2022) have increased help-seeking among individuals with depression.

Siegel and Thompson (2017) investigated how help-seeking intentions increased among individuals with depression after being infused with positive emotions. Results indicated that infusing elevation (i.e., feelings of warmth after witnessing someone performing a righteous act for another person; Haidt, 2000) did lead to an increase in help-seeking among individuals with depression.

Furthermore, Straszewski and Siegel (2018, 2020, 2021) found that savoring (i.e., the process by which people attend to, appreciate, and prolong the enjoyment of positive experiences; Bryant & Veroff, 2007) can infuse individuals with depression with positive emotions, leading to an increase in help-seeking intentions. Be A Depression Lifeline integrated multiple techniques from various research streams such as mistargeted communication, self-distancing, and positive emotion infusion, to increase help-seeking among individuals with depression.