Brief Trainings to Buffer Against Acute Stress Effects

Stress Clinical Trial

Official title:

Brief Trainings to Buffer Against Acute Stress Effects

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02214264
• Other study ID #: 2014-0572
• Secondary ID: MLK2014
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: October 2014
• Est. completion date: May 2015

Study information

• Verified date: May 2019
• Source: University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of several brief trainings based on contemplative practices and positive psychology to buffer against the negative effects that acute stress has on behavior and cognitive abilities. The investigators hypothesize that training will buffer against negative effects of acute stress.

Description:

Participants will be taught a stress reducing training (breath awareness, loving kindness practice, gratitude exercise) and will practice using this technique for 10-15 minutes. Following this, all participants will undergo the Cold Pressor Task (CPT) for up to 3 minutes.

Before and after these tasks, participant data related to attention, working memory, self regulation, affect, and prosociality will be collected.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 172
• Est. completion date: May 2015
• Est. primary completion date: May 2015
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• undergraduate psychology recruitment pool

Exclusion Criteria:

• non-native English speakers, pregnant women

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Stress

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Loving-Kindness meditation training
Participants undergo training for approximately 12 minutes. Training involves guided reflections and intentions related to feeling loving-kindness towards the self and others.
• Breath Awareness meditation training
Participants undergo training for approximately 12 minutes. Training involves guided awareness focused on sensations of breathing.
• Gratitude
Participants undergo training for approximately 12 minutes. Training involves reflections of gratitude for people, events, and things in one's life.
• Control
Participants will write and then think about the physical space in which they live (i.e., their home) for approximately 12 minutes.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	University of Wisconsin-Madison	Madison	Wisconsin

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Wisconsin, Madison

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Change from baseline performance on Operational Span task		Baseline and 10 minutes following post stress induction
Primary	Change from baseline in time spent on hand grip self regulation task		Baseline and 30 minutes post stress induction
Primary	Change from baseline on likeability ratings of neutral stimuli		Baseline and 1 minute post stress induction
Primary	Number of trials completed in optional Generosity task		40 minutes post stress induction
Primary	Positive and Negative Affect Schedule ratings at baseline		Baseline
Primary	Positive and Negative Affect Schedule ratings after pre-test measures		2 minutes before training
Primary	Positive and Negative Affect Schedule ratings after training		1 minute after training
Primary	Positive and Negative Affect Schedule ratings after stress induction		1 minute after stress induction
Primary	Positive and Negative Affect Schedule ratings after post-test		1 minute after post-test measures
Primary	Implicit Positive and Negative Affect Test at baseline		Baseline
Primary	Implicit Positive and Negative Affect Test after pre-test measures		2 minutes before training
Primary	Implicit Positive and Negative Affect Test after training		1 minute after training
Primary	Implicit Positive and Negative Affect Test after stress induction		1 minute after stress induction
Primary	Implicit Positive and Negative Affect Test after post-test		1 minute after post-test
Secondary	Participant interest in participating in future training	Interest will be rated using a visual analog scale.	40 minutes post stress induction