Clinical trial NCT06557083: The Effects of Daily Polyvagal Exercises on Stress in Students of Physical Therapy
Official title: The Effects of Practicing Daily Polyvagal Exercises for Four Weeks on Stress in Students of Physical Therapy Measured: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Stress
Anxiety
Lead sponsor: Dominican University New York
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2024-08-16
Enrollment: 30
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 45
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE

Brief summary: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether specific breathing exercises can stimulate the polyvagal system and thus decrease stress in healthy students of physical therapy. The hypothesis is that practicing daily polyvagal breathing exercises will result in decreased stress/anxiety in physical therapy students compared to the control group who will not be receiving any intervention.

Detailed description: The study involves healthy physical therapy students of Dominican University New York (DUNY) aged 18-45 who are currently not taking anti-anxiety or anti-depression medications. The independent variable consists of practicing polyvagal breathing exercises over a 30-day period. Only the experimental/breathing group will receive treatment while the control group will not. The dependent variable, stress/anxiety labels, will be measured non-invasively using equipment such as the model number DSI-7 headset to record electroencephalogram (EEG) signals of the brain, which is commonly used in research and considered to be safe. Also, the use of surveys and questionnaires will be utilized.

The DSI-7 headset will be placed on a participant's head in order to utilize the dry sensors to record the electroencephalogram signals of the brain. This headset allows us to read the EEG signals without injecting, inserting, or applying heavy pressure to the participant's head. The participants will be seated during recording of DSI-7 and thus at minimal risk of injury.

Participants will perform three data collections: day one, day fifteen, and day thirty. Participants' brain activity will be measured six times on the day one and day thirty. The first reading, baseline EEG will be recorded while the participant is sitting in a quiet room. They will have their eyes open. The investigators will record their baselines three times for one minute and thirty seconds each. They then will be given three separate seven question timed quizzes via Kahoot in order to induce a small amount of stress. During the quizzes, EEG recordings will be collected. The participant will not receive physical harm nor long term stress. On day fifteen, four EEG recordings will be collected, one at baseline and three during the timed quizzes.

Further, all questionnaires and instructions including the breathing exercises will be given via computer. Each participant in the breathing exercise group will be provided with video instructions on the three breathing exercises and all surveys and questionnaires will be filled out using one laptop to ensure continuity for each participant. The control group will only shown a video with a brief introduction on the ill effects of stress and general tips to relieving stress. However, all participants will receive brain activity readings via EEG.

Participants will be able to withdraw from the study at any given time if they wish to, feel uncomfortable, or experience any adverse effects. The study will be conducted under the supervision of experienced researchers who will follow appropriate safety protocols to minimize any potential risks to participants.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Student of physical therapy

Exclusion Criteria:

* Taking medications to treat anxiety or depression

Primary outcomes:
measure: Stress Levels
timeFrame: 10 minutes
measure: Anxiety Levels
timeFrame: 10 minutes
Secondary outcomes:
measure: 10 Item Perceived Stress Scale
timeFrame: 3 minutes
measure: 7 Item Generalized Anxiety Disorder
timeFrame: 3 minutes
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Orangeburg
country: United States
facility: Dominican University New York
state: New York
Study officials:
affiliation: Dominican University New York
name: Kristin Miscia
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Dominican University New York
name: Elise Kang
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Dominican University New York
name: Ariane Hasbrouck
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Kopplin CS, Rosenthal L. The positive effects of combined breathing techniques and cold exposure on perceived stress: a randomised trial. Curr Psychol. 2022 Oct 7:1-13. doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-03739-y. Online ahead of print.
citation: Magnon V, Dutheil F, Vallet GT. Benefits from one session of deep and slow breathing on vagal tone and anxiety in young and older adults. Sci Rep. 2021 Sep 29;11(1):19267. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-98736-9.
citation: Porges SW. Orienting in a defensive world: mammalian modifications of our evolutionary heritage. A Polyvagal Theory. Psychophysiology. 1995 Jul;32(4):301-18. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.1995.tb01213.x.
citation: Aranberri-Ruiz A, Aritzeta A, Olarza A, Soroa G, Mindeguia R. Reducing Anxiety and Social Stress in Primary Education: A Breath-Focused Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Intervention. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Aug 17;19(16):10181. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191610181.