Clinical trial NCT05056428: Effects of Mindfulness Training on Emotional Care Strategies
Official title: Effects of Mindfulness Training on Emotional Care Strategies
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Mental Health Issue
Keywords: mindfulness
teacher mental health
emotional care
decentering
cognitive reappraisal
mindfulness-based intervention for teachers
Lead sponsor: The University of Hong Kong
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Chinese University of Hong Kong
First posted: 2021-09-24
Enrollment: 328
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: Teachers in Hong Kong are susceptible to professional stress and its associated psychosomatic illnesses. To enhance teachers' well-being, mindfulness training is conducted in local schools. The present study is a randomized controlled trial to investigate 1) the effects of mindfulness training on teachers' well-being (i.e. general health, positive affect, stress, negative affect); 2) whether decentering strategy (vs. cognitive reappraisal strategy) is nurtured by mindfulness practice; and 3) whether decentering instead of cognitive reappraisal is the mediator that explains the impact of mindfulness on well-being. Participants will be randomized to either intervention (8-week .b Foundations course) or waiting-list control condition.

Detailed description: All the participants will complete an online survey before (baseline), after (post-intervention), and two-months (follow-up) after the intervention. A subset of participants (N = 30) will complete an electroencephalography (EEG) experiment.

Prior to the experiment, participants will complete an online questionnaire writing down eight recent autobiographical situations: four reflecting a neutral experience, two reflecting events that triggered anxiety, and two reflecting events that triggered sadness. After writing about each situation, participants will be asked to identify five keywords that are both unique and tightly linked to each situation.

During the experiment, participants will be reminded of the autobiographical situations in the computerized task. Participants will be asked to view the keywords (i.e. control condition); step back and view the keywords like an impartial observer, allowing whatever thoughts or emotions arise to come and go (i.e. decentering condition); and think about the keywords from different perspective to minimize negative emotions (i.e. reappraisal condition). EEG will be recorded while participants complete the task. Participants will receive $200 Hong Kong dollars each time as a remuneration for the time to participate in the experiment.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Aged 18 years old or above
* Working in local schools or education institutions
* Willing to participate in mindfulness training voluntarily

Exclusion Criteria:

* Have history of neurological or psychiatric disorder, brain injury, birth complications, or significant sensory impairment
* Currently under medications that are known to affect the brain (e.g. anti-depressants, epileptica, tranquilizer, sleep medication, psychotropics, ritalin, concerta, etc.)
* Experiencing severe or unstable mental health condition currently
* Completed 8-week mindfulness training previously
* Unwilling to go by random assignment

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in General Health
timeFrame: Baseline, Immediately after intervention, Two-months after intervention
measure: Change in Stress
timeFrame: Baseline, Immediately after intervention, Two-months after intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Change in Positive affect
timeFrame: Baseline, Immediately after intervention, Two-months after intervention
measure: Change in Negative affect
timeFrame: Baseline, Immediately after intervention, Two-months after intervention
measure: Change in Decentering
timeFrame: Baseline, Immediately after intervention, Two-months after intervention
measure: Change in Reappraisal
timeFrame: Baseline, Immediately after intervention, Two-months after intervention
measure: Change in Mindfulness
timeFrame: Baseline, Immediately after intervention, Two-months after intervention
measure: Change in Late positive potential (LPP)
timeFrame: Baseline, Immediately after intervention
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:
References: