Mental Health and General Well-being Clinical Trial
Official title:
A Pilot RCT Intervention to Test the Impact of High and Low-intensity Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) on Self, Values, and Well-being
The study is a three-arm intervention, where students are randomly assigned to one of three conditions: Teacher-led group-based MBCT, Self-guided MBCT using an audio book, or 'wait list' control. Pre-intervention, respondents complete a questionnaire assessing self, values, psychological processes related to self, and well-being. Post-intervention, respondents complete the same questionnaire, and then take part in a laboratory-based study which assesses behaviours related to the variables measured in the questionnaires. We are aiming for a sample size of 180 students at Sussex, 60 in each intervention arm.
Substantive evidence shows that mindfulness training improves mental health and general
well-being (see meta-analyses by Cavanagh, Strauss, and colleagues). A significant factor
that reduces well-being is the internalisation of two core consumer culture values: a
materialistic value orientation (MVO) and body perfect ideals (see meta-analyses by Dittmar
and colleagues for MVO, and Grabe et al, Barlett et al. for idealised media models). Thus,
mindfulness may act as a buffer against the negative impact of consumer culture ideals,
consistent with value circumplex models which place materialistic and appearance-focused
values at the self-enhancement end, opposite to self-transcendence values, such as caring for
self and others and community engagement.
Self-transcendence values lead to psychological need satisfaction, whereas consumer culture
values undermine such satisfaction (Self-Determination Theory).
Three novel questions are examined: (1) Is change in self-related values and psychological
processes significant for the beneficial consequences of mindfulness for well-being? (2) Does
mindfulness training reduce consumer culture values and associated harmful behaviours, such
as disordered eating and excessive buying? (3) Do high and low intensity mindfulness
interventions differ in impact?
The project involves collaboration with Kate Cavanagh in Psychology and the Co-Directors of
the Sussex Centre for Mindfulness Clara Strauss and Robert Marx. It consists of: 1.
qualitative interviews with experienced mindfulness teachers, 2. a multi-phase student
intervention study, and 3. an exposure experiment with the same student sample.
Study 1: INTERVIEWS WITH MINDFULNESS TEACHERS (n=12) Semi-structured interviews with teachers
(recruited through the UK Network of Mindfulness Teacher Training Organisations) will examine
their views on the psychological processes significant in individuals' mental health
improvement, focusing on processes related to values and self. Interviews will be
audio-taped.
Study 2: INTERVENTION WITH STUDENTS (n=165-180) Phase 1: Online survey to collect baseline
measures on all variables of interest, using established scales Trait mindfulness (Gu et al,
2016); Consumer Culture Values (Easterbrook et al., 2014); Core Self Beliefs (Fowler et al,
2006); Self-Discrepancies (Dittmar et al., 1996; Self-compassion (Neff, 2016); Self-esteem
(Robins et al., 2001; Self-objectification (Lindner & Tantleff-Dunn, in press); Self-worth
(Crocker et al., 2003); Self-concept clarity (Campbell et al., 2003); Self-construal
(individualist vs. relational) (Aron et al., 1992); Social comparison tendency (Gibbons &
Buunk, 1999); Consumer self-confidence, author, date); Mental health assessment (DASS-21);
Subjective well-being (Dittmar & Kapur, 2001); Body esteem (Mendelson et al., 2001); Material
esteem (Dittmar et al., 2016); Eating Behaviour (Van Strien et al., 1986, shortened);
Excessive Buying (Dittmar et al., 2007); Emotion regulation (Bjureberg, 2016);
Consumption-based coping (Wright et al., 2016)
Phase 2: Intervention (randomised control trial)
- 8-week mindfulness-based cognitive group therapy course guided by (non-NHS) mindfulness
teachers (high intensity)
- Self-guided MBCT training using a published audio book and CDs (low intensity)
- 'Waiting list' (control; respondents are offered the book after the study)
Phase 3: On-line survey (same as Phase 1) Study 3: IMPACT OF EXPOSURE TO CONSUMER CULTURE
STIMULI (n=165-180) Using a 3 (mindfulness intervention condition) x 4 (CC stimuli:
materialistic, appearance, combination, control) design, respondents view a film excerpt that
contains an ad break (containing CC stimuli, approved in ER/HMC28/2), and then complete
measures of actual eating (respondents will be offered food as a reward) and buying behaviour
(approved in ER/RLJ/1), as well as selected measures used in Phases 1 and 3.
Studies 2 and 3 include 3 ug and 3 masters research projects.
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