Enhancing Flow While Generating Ideas in Psychotherapy Through an Inspiration Tool: A Randomized Controlled Trial in a Transdiagnostic Sample

Objective: Patients generate ideas in many psychotherapeutic techniques. We assessed whether psychopathology is transdiagnostically linked to less favorable experiences such as flow while generating ideas and whether a gamified inpiration tool may improve these experiences. Method: In total, 200 adults (100 with and 100 without a psychiatric disorder) generated ideas within two psychotherapeutic techniques while randomized to use a gamified inspiration tool (Brain2Business™ small) plus brainstorming rules (B2B group) or brainstorming rules only (active control group). Three validated scales measured HiTOP-based superspectra and general psychopathology. A composite score measured idea generation experiences including game experiences (e.g., flow), energy-related experiences (e.g., vitality), and mood (e.g., affect). Results: Less favorable idea generation experiences were linked with lifetime diagnosis of psychiatric disorder (SMD = -0.67; p < 0.001), general psychopathology and all superspectra (β = -0.24 to -0.45, p < 0.001). In the prespecified analysis, the B2B vs. control group showed no significant benefit on favorable idea generation experiences (SMD = 0.12, p = 0.37). After accounting for covariates, the B2B vs. control group showed higher flow expericences (SMD = 0.28, p = 0.043) and a trend for more favorable idea generation experiences (SMD = 0.21, p = 0.090). Additionally, vitality increased during idea generation in the B2B vs. conrol group if compared to vitality directly before idea generation (SMD = 0.31; p = 0.027). Conclusions: Psychopathology has been transdiagnostically associated with less favorable experiences in idea generation, whereas a gamified inspiration tool could improve these experiences, particularly flow and vitality.