Mechanisms of Mindfulness and Stress Resilience: A Mobile App Mindfulness Training Study
Condition: Psychological Stress; Mindfulness
MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this study is to test the active components of mindfulness meditation for
      reducing psychological stress and improving biomarkers of health. This study compares the
      effects of three brief trainings: (1) training in both present-moment attention and mindful
      acceptance, (2) training in present-focused attention, and (3) an active psychological
      training with no mindfulness content.
    

Detailed description: 
      Mindfulness meditation practices are widely used among the general public, with people
      seeking to reduce stress, pain, inflammation, depression, and disease symptoms. Moreover,
      randomized controlled trials have shown mindfulness training programs to be effective in
      improving a broad range of psychological and physical health outcomes, particularly among
      populations with high stress burdens. Still, little is known about the mechanisms underlying
      mindfulness training that drive these effects. This study tests the active components of
      mindfulness that impact stress responding and health biomarkers.

      The study separates attention and acceptance mindfulness instructions into three 14-day
      training programs delivered to a stressed adult population: (1) attention and acceptance
      instructions, (2) attentional monitoring instructions only, or (3) analytic thinking with no
      mindfulness instruction. Intervention programs are delivered on participants' own
      smartphones, providing a platform for maximal experimental control in testing the active
      ingredients of mindfulness training.

      Participants are recruited from the Pittsburgh community. At a baseline laboratory session,
      they complete psychosocial questionnaires and tasks and provide a dried blood spot sample. On
      their own, they complete pre- and post-intervention Ecological Momentary Assessment measures
      of stress, attention, and acceptance in daily life. Between these assessments, participants
      have 14 days to complete their randomly assigned 14-lesson intervention program. Participants
      return to the lab for post-intervention assessments (questionnaires, tasks, dried blood
      sample), listen to a final training session from their intervention program, and complete the
      Trier Social Stress Test. Participants are compensated.
    

Intervention name(s): Mindfulness Training; Mindful Attention Only Training; Analytic Thinking Training
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Mindfulness training intervention consisting of 14 x 20-minute audio-guided lessons that participants access on their smartphones during the 14-day intervention period.; Mindful attention training intervention consisting of 14 x 20-minute audio-guided lessons that participants access on their smartphones during the 14-day intervention period.; Comparison analytic thinking intervention consisting of 14 x 20-minute audio-guided lessons that participants access on their smartphones during the 14-day intervention period.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Participant, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Basic Science
Keywords: mindfulness; psychological stress; immune marker; wellness programs; mobile applications; cortisol