NCT03206437

Effect of Mindfulness Meditation on Physiological Response to Unpredictable Stimuli

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 45 (actual)
• Sponsor: Georgetown University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study will evaluate the effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on physiological reactivity. This study will focus on individuals with anxiety who will participate in an 8-week MBSR class. The investigators will test participants' reactivity to both predictable and unpredictable stimuli before and after the class to understand the physiological changes that may occur after to the intervention. Secondary measures include psychometric instruments and a delay discounting task.

Detailed description

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a manualized, systematic training in mindfulness meditation that has been found to have beneficial health effects, such as decreased stress and anxiety. The current protocol aims to examine the effects of MBSR on several physiological and behavioral measures in people with anxiety disorders, which may help us understand the effects of the intervention on anxiety. The investigators will use the NPU task as developed by the NIH, which measures an individual's response to threatening stimuli (mild shock) paired with non-threatening stimuli (geometric shapes). Individuals with anxiety disorders will be recruited to participate in this study, and will be randomized to a control (waitlist) or MBSR intervention group. Other secondary measures will examine the effects of mindfulness meditation on decision-making, and stress and anxiety symptoms.

Conditions

• Anxiety Disorders
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Social Anxiety Disorder
• Panic Disorder
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Agoraphobia
• Simple Phobia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction	The MBSR course teaches mindfulness meditation skills. This 8-week course meets in person once a week for 2.5 hours. Participants are expected to complete practice assignments at home.
BEHAVIORAL	Waitlist	This group will wait 8-16 weeks after their first testing visit and after their second study visit is completed they will be able to participate in an 8-week MBSR course.

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-06-20
• Primary completion: 2022-11-25
• Completion: 2022-11-25
• First posted: 2017-07-02
• Last updated: 2022-12-23

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States