NCT01651091

Effects of Meditation Awareness Training on Psychosocial Functioning in Prison Participants

Effects of Meditation Awareness Training on Psychosocial Functioning in Prison Participants: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 102 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Nottingham Trent University · Academic / Other
• Sex: Male
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: —

Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of an eight-week long group-based secular intervention known as Meditation Awareness Training (MAT) on psychosocial functioning in prison participants.

Detailed description

In Western practitioner settings, Buddhist principles are increasingly being used in the treatment of a wide range of mental health issues. However, there is a dearth of high quality research examining the effects of Buddhist-derived interventions (BDIs) on mental health in forensic settings. The purpose of this study is to assess the salutary effects and acceptability of a secularised group-based eight-week BDI known as Meditation Awareness Training (MAT) against relevant predictors of adaptive psychosocial functioning and mental health in violent offenders. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) design will be employed structured with reference to CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) 2010 guidelines. English speaking adult males (aged 18-65 years) serving indeterminate prison sentences for offences of instrumental violence at a category B prison will be invited to receive MAT on a voluntary basis. Computer-generated numbers will be used to randomly allocate prison participants (n=102 - based on statistical power calculations) to either an intervention or 'treatment as usual' (TAU) control condition. Measures will be taken pre- and post-intervention and at three-month follow-up to assess maintenance effects.

Conditions

• Psychosocial Functioning

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Meditation Awareness Training	Psychotherapy Intervention
OTHER	Treatment as usual

Timeline

• Start date: 2013-03-01
• Primary completion: 2013-11-01
• First posted: 2012-07-26
• Last updated: 2012-08-07

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United Kingdom