Clinical trial NCT06876220: The Role of Anchoring and Distraction in the Effectiveness of Mindfulness on Reducing Emotional Reactivity
Official title: The Role of Anchoring and Distraction in the Effectiveness of Mindfulness on Reducing Emotional Reactivity
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Mental Health Issue
Emotional Adjustment
Keywords: mindfulness
emotion regulation
emotion care
distraction
anchoring
Lead sponsor: The University of Hong Kong
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2025-03-14
Enrollment: 60
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 25
Maximum age (years): 35
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Two-armed, waitlist randomized controlled trial
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The current study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L) on the use of anchoring and distraction as emotion care/regulation strategies. It is hypothesized that anchoring and distraction are related but different processes, which could be evidenced by fMRI. The investigators further hypothesized that mindfulness training could lead to functional changes in the brain, which could also be evidenced by fMRI.

Detailed description: To test the hypotheses, the participants will be randomly allocated to either the experimental group or the waitlist control group. Both groups will complete behavioral measures and an fMRI experiment before the experimental group's intervention (T0). The experimental group will receive Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L) between T0 and T1, while the waitlist control will receive no treatment during this period. Both groups will complete the behavioral measures and the fMRI experiment again after the experimental group finishes the MBCT-L course (T1).

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Right-handed
* Currently registered in post-graduated program with professional counselling training

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of neurological or other disorders affecting the brain (such as encephalitis, epilepsy, birth defects, or polio)
* Have experienced a concussion, head or brain trauma, seizures, loss of consciousness
* Have been injured in the eye by a metallic foreign body.
* Have been injured by metallic foreign body (e.g. bullet, shrapnel)
* History of sickle cell anemia/kidney disease/diabetes, asthma, or allergies
* Long-term use of medication is required
* Currently pregnant or breast feeding.
* Had the following conditions or implants in their body:

  * Surgical clips
  * Cardiac pacemaker
  * Neurostimulator/internal electrodes
  * Insulin pump
  * Internal shunt
  * Metal screen / suture
  * Cochlear implants
  * Hearing aid
  * Eye implants/eyelid springs
  * Orthopaedic devices (e.g. pins, nails, screws)
  * Prosthetic heart valve
  * Breast tissue expander
  * Tattoo or permanent eye-lining
  * Body ring
  * Patch/Blood Glucose Monitor
  * Dentures
  * Intrauterine contraceptive device
  * Metal blockage in the blood vessel/metal foreign body in the body

Primary outcomes:
measure: Brain activation during the emotion care/regulation task
timeFrame: Baseline (T0, 2 weeks before the intervention), Post-intervention (T1, 14-16 weeks after baseline)
measure: Reaction time during the emotion care/regulation task
timeFrame: Baseline (T0, 2 weeks before the intervention), Post-intervention (T1, 14-16 weeks after baseline)
measure: Accuracy during the emotion care/regulation task
timeFrame: Baseline (T0, 2 weeks before the intervention), Post-intervention (T1, 14-16 weeks after baseline)
measure: Mindfulness
timeFrame: Baseline (T0, 2 weeks before the intervention), Post-intervention (T1, 14-16 weeks after baseline)
measure: Psychological well-being
timeFrame: Baseline (T0, 2 weeks before the intervention), Post-intervention (T1, 14-16 weeks after baseline)
measure: Use of distraction as a emotion care/regulation strategy
timeFrame: Baseline (T0, 2 weeks before the intervention), Post-intervention (T1, 14-16 weeks after baseline)
measure: Use of anchoring as a emotion care/regulation strategy
timeFrame: Baseline (T0, 2 weeks before the intervention), Post-intervention (T1, 14-16 weeks after baseline)
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Hong Kong
country: Hong Kong
facility: Jockey Club "Peace and Awareness" Mindfulness Culture in Schools Initiative, Faculty of Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong
Study officials:
affiliation: The University of Hong Kong
name: Shui-fong Lam, PhD
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
affiliation: The University of Hong Kong
name: Gloria HY Wong
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: