Post-Acute COVID-19 SyndromeNCT05676008
A Study of Positive Emotions With Long COVID-19
A study testing Microdosing of mindfulness in people with Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome, run by University of California, Davis at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study is testing a new brief mindfulness practice for people suffering from long COVID-19 symptoms. People suffering from long COVID are particularly vulnerable to negative emotions, as they must also cope with the long-term uncertainty of physical and psychological stress beyond the acute infection. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
- What is being tested?
- Microdosing of mindfulness
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 400 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 12 Jan 2023to Apr 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Able to participate in online zoom sessions and complete online surveys for 3 months
- English speakers
- Had a mild to moderate in severity COVID-19 infection > 3 months ago, feeling unwell, and are still experiencing in the present at least one PASC-related symptoms:
- Coughing or feeling short of breath
- Loss of smell or change in taste
- Recurrent Fever
Show all 11Show fewer
- Body aches, headaches, chest pain, or stomach pain
- Brain fog (feeling like you can't think clearly)
- Having trouble sleeping
- Feeling very tired
- Mood changes
Who cannot join
- Adults that were admitted to an intensive care unit or placed on a respirator, had invasive heart (heart catheterization) or lung tests (bronchoscopy) performed.
- Prisoners
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
University of California Davis
Sacramento, California, 95817
About this study
Official title: A Study of Positive Emotions With Long COVID (Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS CoV-2 Infection)
This study is testing a new brief mindfulness practice for people suffering from long COVID-19 symptoms. People suffering from long COVID are particularly vulnerable to negative emotions, as they must also cope with the long-term uncertainty of physical and psychological stress beyond the acute infection. The goal of the study is to measure the ability of a brief mindfulness practice to promote a sense of well-being in people suffering from long COVID.
Read the detailed description
This is a pilot randomized waitlist-controlled clinical trial (RCT) testing a new brief self-care intervention for people suffering from post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). The overarching goal of this study is to establish the feasibility and early efficacy of microdosing mindfulness as a self-care intervention. The purpose of the intervention is to promote a sense of well-being among PASC patients who currently have limited access to other proven self-care modalities.
Our research question is whether our newly developed training can assist PASC patients to self-microdose mindfulness (5-15 seconds activities in everyday life) and improve on perceived metrics of well-being (primary outcome). Our hypothesis is that self-microdosing mindfulness will evoke positive emotions that can improve well-being on patients suffering of PASC-related symptoms beyond 3 months post COVID-19 infection. If effective, an increased frequency of the mindfulness activity will then help buffer negative emotions (e.g., anger, loneliness, etc.) experienced during the pandemic and associated with ongoing stress and/or somatic symptoms.
- Conditions
- Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
- Being tested
- Microdosing of mindfulness
- Keywords
- Mindfulness
- Medical subject headings
- Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Microdosing of mindfulnessBehavioural
The intervention consists of two parts: 1) four structured training sessions offered as online synchronous classes, and 2) self-microdosing of mindfulness activities in everyday life.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Waitlist control | No intervention | Not described |
| Treatment | Experimental | Not described Receives: Behavioral: Microdosing of mindfulness |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Well-being
14 items from the Mental Health Continuum Short Form
Measured: 1 month
Secondary outcomes (6)
Perceived Stress
Perceived Stress Scale
Measured: 1, 3 and 12 months
Anxiety symptoms
Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale
Measured: 1, 3 and 12 months
Depressive symptoms
Beck Depression Inventory Short Form
Measured: 1, 3 and 12 months
Physical health
Physical health symptoms - 11 items + 3 items of COVID symptoms
Measured: 1, 3 and 12 months
Cardiac symptoms
Cardiac symptoms by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire-12 items (KCCQ-12)
Measured: 1, 3 and 12 months
Well-being
14 items from the Mental Health Continuum Short Form
Measured: 3 and 12 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Jan 2023
- Study start12 Jan 2023
- Primary completionApr 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionApr 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Post-Acute COVID-19 SyndromeStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of California, DavisThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 400 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, Davis
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Javier E Lopez, MD, Principal investigator, University of California, Davis
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05676008
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1840049
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 22 Dec 2022
- Last updated
- 29 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Monroy M, Amster M, Eagle J, Zerwas FK, Keltner D, Lopez JE. Awe reduces depressive symptoms and improves well-being in a randomized-controlled clinical trial. Sci Rep. 2025 May 12;15(1):16453. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-96555-w.
PubMed 40355653
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 29 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Study of Positive Emotions With Long COVID (Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS CoV-2 Infection)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05676008
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 1840049
- Conditions
- Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
- Keywords
- Mindfulness
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 400 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, DavisUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 12 Jan 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Apr 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Apr 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 9 Jan 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study is testing a new brief mindfulness practice for people suffering from long COVID-19 symptoms. People suffering from long COVID are particularly vulnerable to negative emotions, as they must also cope with the long-term uncertainty of physical and psychological stress beyond the acute infection. The goal of the study is to measure the ability of a brief mindfulness practice to promote a sense of well-being in people suffering from long COVID.
Detailed description
This is a pilot randomized waitlist-controlled clinical trial (RCT) testing a new brief self-care intervention for people suffering from post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). The overarching goal of this study is to establish the feasibility and early efficacy of microdosing mindfulness as a self-care intervention. The purpose of the intervention is to promote a sense of well-being among PASC patients who currently have limited access to other proven self-care modalities.
Our research question is whether our newly developed training can assist PASC patients to self-microdose mindfulness (5-15 seconds activities in everyday life) and improve on perceived metrics of well-being (primary outcome). Our hypothesis is that self-microdosing mindfulness will evoke positive emotions that can improve well-being on patients suffering of PASC-related symptoms beyond 3 months post COVID-19 infection. If effective, an increased frequency of the mindfulness activity will then help buffer negative emotions (e.g., anger, loneliness, etc.) experienced during the pandemic and associated with ongoing stress and/or somatic symptoms.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Waitlist control | No intervention | – |
| Treatment | Experimental | Behavioral: Microdosing of mindfulness |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (11 listed)
- Able to participate in online zoom sessions and complete online surveys for 3 months
- English speakers
- Had a mild to moderate in severity COVID-19 infection > 3 months ago, feeling unwell, and are still experiencing in the present at least one PASC-related symptoms:
- Coughing or feeling short of breath
- Loss of smell or change in taste
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Adults that were admitted to an intensive care unit or placed on a respirator, had invasive heart (heart catheterization) or lung tests (bronchoscopy) performed.
- Prisoners
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Microdosing of mindfulnessThe intervention consists of two parts: 1) four structured training sessions offered as online synchronous classes, and 2) self-microdosing of mindfulness activities in everyday life. | Behavioural | Treatment |
Primary outcome
Well-being
Time frame: 1 month
14 items from the Mental Health Continuum Short Form
6 secondary outcomes
Perceived Stress
Time frame: 1, 3 and 12 months
Anxiety symptoms
Time frame: 1, 3 and 12 months
Depressive symptoms
Time frame: 1, 3 and 12 months
Physical health
Time frame: 1, 3 and 12 months
Cardiac symptoms
Time frame: 1, 3 and 12 months
Well-being
Time frame: 3 and 12 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 29 May 2026.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 40355653Monroy M, Amster M, Eagle J, Zerwas FK, Keltner D, Lopez JE. Awe reduces depressive symptoms and improves well-being in a randomized-controlled clinical trial. Sci Rep. 2025 May 12;15(1):16453. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-96555-w.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Javier E Lopez, MD principal investigator
University of California, Davis
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Microdosing of mindfulness in people with Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome, run by University of California, Davis at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 11 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Well-being (time frame: 1 month). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05676008, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 29 May 2026.