An individual-specific understanding of how synchrony becomes curative: study protocol.

backgroundInterpersonal interactions are a fundamental part of daily life, shaping mental health in profound ways. Yet, the mechanisms by which these interactions influence mental health remain poorly understood.

aimsThis research is the first to systematically and prospectively test the conceptual framework proposed by Zilcha-Mano (2024), which introduces the concept of an individual-specific synchrony signature-a trait-like characteristic that distinguishes individuals based on their unique patterns of synchronizing across interpersonal relationships and contexts. It builds on the framework's challenge to the prevailing assumption that higher levels of synchrony are universally beneficial, instead positing that synchrony becomes curative when tailored corrections are made to an individual's signature. Specifically, for synchrony to serve as a mechanism of therapeutic change, the direction and magnitude of the required synchrony adjustments must be tailored to align with the unique characteristics of the individual's synchrony signature.

methodsThis research uses psychotherapy as a case demonstration of curative relationships, offering a contained environment that combines the authenticity of real interpersonal dynamics with the sterile precision of laboratory conditions for examining synchrony dynamics. Study 1 uses the innovative Synchrony Interaction Paradigm to investigate the existence and characteristics of individual-specific synchrony signatures in a sample of 68 participants, including individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD; N = 34). Study 2 examines how tailored adjustments to these signatures facilitate therapeutic change, using a randomized controlled trial with 78 individuals diagnosed with MDD assigned to therapy targeting interpersonal mechanisms or to a waiting list. Both studies employ multimodal markers (e.g., motion, acoustic, physiological, hormones, and facial expressions) to disentangle the stable trait-like components of synchrony from state-like deviations occurring in real-time interactions with humans and virtual humans. IMPLICATIONS: This research redefines synchrony as an individual-specific mechanism of change, offering insights into its multi-modal nature and advancing a personalized framework for understanding its effect on mental health. The findings bridge critical gaps in synchrony research and contribute to more targeted and effective therapeutic interventions.

trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT06749392 submitted on December 12 st 2024. TRIAL STATUS: Recruitment has not started yet.