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Online Trial of Meditation and Behavior

Sponsor
Georgetown University (Other)
Overall Status
Completed
CT.gov ID
NCT04632875
Collaborator
(none)
75
Enrollment
1
Location
2
Arms
6.2
Actual Duration (Months)
12.1
Patients Per Site Per Month

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

This study investigates how different types of meditation may affect behaviors and emotions. The study is conducted entirely online and involves listening to 4-weeks of a guided meditation training. The meditation involves either Loving-Kindness or Relaxation techniques. The purpose of the study is to assess changes in behaviors and emotions using standard questionnaires, reports of real-world behavior, and online behavioral tasks. The overarching goal is to help clarify how mind-body practices may improve some aspects of well-being.

Condition or Disease Intervention/Treatment Phase
  • Behavioral: Loving-Kindness Meditation
  • Behavioral: Relaxation Meditation
 N/A

Study Design

Study Type:
Interventional
Actual Enrollment :
75 participants
Allocation:
Randomized
Intervention Model:
Parallel Assignment
Masking:
None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose:
Basic Science
Official Title:
Identifying Neural Correlates of Altruism
Actual Study Start Date :
Dec 4, 2020
Actual Primary Completion Date :
Jun 10, 2021
Actual Study Completion Date :
Jun 10, 2021

Arms and Interventions

Arm Intervention/Treatment
Experimental: Loving-Kindness Meditation

4-week guided Loving-Kindness Meditation training (administered online).

Behavioral: Loving-Kindness Meditation
Approximately 15-minute sessions are administered 6 days per week
Other Names:
  • Metta Meditation

    		•
    Experimental: Relaxation Meditation

    4-week guided Relaxation Meditation training (administered online).

    Behavioral: Relaxation Meditation
    Approximately 15-minute sessions are administered 6 days per week
    Other Names:
  • Progressive Muscle Relaxation

    		•

    Outcome Measures

    Primary Outcome Measures

    1. Social functioning [4-5 weeks]

      Participants will complete a questionnaire about their real-world social behaviors. An aggregate score will be computed; higher scores will indicate better social functioning.

    2. Affective responses [4-5 weeks]

      Participants will perform a wall-sit test and responses will be measured using a 0-100 Visual Analog Scale of intensity.

    Secondary Outcome Measures

    1. Psychological well-being related to COVID-19 [4-5 weeks]

      Participants will complete a questionnaire related to the psychological impact of COVID-19 social distancing. Higher scores will indicate worse psychological impact of COVID-19.

    Eligibility Criteria

    Criteria

    Ages Eligible for Study:
    18 Years to 55 Years
    Sexes Eligible for Study:
    All
    Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
    Yes
    Inclusion Criteria:

    • Is a medically healthy individual

    • Lives in the United States

    • Has reliable internet access and the ability to join a Zoom video chat

    Exclusion Criteria:

    • Has experience with meditation or other mind-body practices

    • Has a neurological disease

    • Has a current psychiatric disorder

    • Is on medication that affects the central nervous system (e.g. psychotropic drugs)

    • Has recurrent or chronic pain

    • Is pregnant or planning to become pregnant

    Contacts and Locations

    Locations

    Site City State Country Postal Code
    1 Georgetown University Washington District of Columbia United States 20007

    Sponsors and Collaborators

    • Georgetown University

    Investigators

    • Principal Investigator: Abigail A Marsh, PhD, Georgetown University

    Study Documents (Full-Text)

    None provided.

    More Information

    Publications

    None provided.
    Responsible Party:
    Georgetown University
    ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
    NCT04632875
    Other Study ID Numbers:
    • 2010-180-2
    First Posted:
    Nov 17, 2020
    Last Update Posted:
    Jun 14, 2021
    Last Verified:
    Nov 1, 2020
    Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement:
    No
    Plan to Share IPD:
    No
    Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product:
    No
    Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product:
    No

    Study Results

    No Results Posted as of Jun 14, 2021