Emotional DistressNCT05789160
Experiential Avoidance as Mechanism of Mindfulness Based Online Intervention in Reducing Emotional Distress
A study testing Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress in people with Emotional Distress, run by Peking University at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
This study hopes to explore whether experiential avoidance could be a mediator between mindfulness-based interventions and emotional distress. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Emotional Distress
- What is being tested?
- Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 158 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 11 Jul 2022to 30 Oct 2022
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
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 to 65 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Subjects with scores greater than 21 on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale.
Who cannot join
- Subjects who could not access the Internet;
- Subjects with insufficient Chinese ability;
- Subjects who have participated in mindfulness based projects for more than 6 weeks before, and / or the current frequency of meditation practice is more than once a week;
- Patients with schizophrenia or psychotic affective disorder, current organic mental disorder, substance abuse disorder and generalized developmental disorder;
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
This study hopes to explore whether experiential avoidance could be a mediator between mindfulness-based interventions and emotional distress.
Read the detailed description
The improvement of emotional distress by mindfulness intervention has been supported by a large number of empirical studies. For example, the meta-analysis of the effect of MBSR on people with chronic diseases shows that both anxiety (Hedges' g = 0.47) and depression (Hedges' g = 0.26) in mindfulness intervention group are reduced. Mindfulness-based interventions also have good intervention effect on anxiety (Hedges' g = 0.67) and depression (Hedges' g = 0.48) in the general population. Unfortunately, few studies have used the correct methods to test the mechanism of mindfulness-based interventions in mediation analysis or experiments.
Experiential avoidance refers to the unwillingness to keep in touch with specific personal experiences (such as physical feelings, emotions, thinking, memory, and behavioral tendencies), and to take measures to change the form or frequency of these experiences, as well as the situations that trigger these experiences. Experiential avoidance often has only a short-term effect, but it has no effect in the long run, and may even be unfavorable. The paradox of experiential avoidance is that trying to hide or suppress unpleasant thoughts, feelings and physical feelings will increase the frequency and pain of these same experiences, and will enhance the feeling that they are unreal or out of touch with themselves. In addition, long-term experiential avoidance will interfere with the fun of being completely immersed in any activity, leading to the reduction of the frequency of positive events and the suppression of positive emotions.
Some reviews believe that experiential avoidance is one of the mechanisms of beneficial effects brought by mindfulness. Some cross-sectional studies show that the reduction of empirical avoidance is an important intermediary factor in the path of mindfulness to psychopathology . However, no research has directly tested the mediating role of experiential avoidance in mindfulness-based intervention to alleviate emotional distress, which is also the problem that this study wants to explore. According to Kazdin(2007), in order to prove the timeline principle, that is, the change of experiential avoidance is before the change of emotional distress, we will measure the above variables every week during the intervention.
- Conditions
- Emotional Distress
- Being tested
- Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional DistressBehavioural
Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress (MIED) program provide standard audio instructions for mindfulness exercises, introduce the nature and law of anxiety, depression and other emotions, the source of anxiety, depression and other emotional distress, and the strategies and methods to alleviate emotional distress. These exercises, knowledge and strategies are based on the latest progress in the field of psychological counseling and treatment, and their application in daily life can help alleviate anxiety, depression and other emotional problems.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| the MIED group | Experimental | provide standard audio instructions for mindfulness exercises, introduce the nature and law of anxiety, depression and other emotions, the source of anxiety, depression and other emotional distress, and the strategies and methods to alleviate emotional distress. These exercises, knowledge and strategies are based on the latest progress in the field of psychological counseling and treatment, and their application in daily life can help alleviate anxiety, depression and other emotional problems. Receives: Behavioral: Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress |
| the waiting-list group | No intervention | no treatment. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Weekly changes of Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire during the intervention
The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire is a self-reported questionnaire measuring mindfulness levels. Scores range from 39 to 195, with higher scores indicating higher levels of mindfulness.
Measured: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
Weekly changes of Patient Health Questionnaire during the intervention
The Patient Health Questionnaire is a self-reported questionnaire measuring the degree of being troubled by various common physical symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 30.
0~4 scores: no physical symptoms; 5~9 scores: mild physical symptoms; 10~14 scores: moderate physical symptoms; 15~30 scores: severe physical symptoms.
Measured: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
Weekly changes of Chinese Perceived Stress Scale during the intervention
The Chinese Perceived Stress Scale is a self-reported questionnaire measuring stress. Scores range from 0 to 56, with higher scores indicating higher levels of stress.
Measured: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
Weekly changes of 10-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale during the intervention
The 10-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale is a self-reported questionnaire measuring distress. Scores range from 10 to 50, with higher scores indicating higher levels of distress.
Measured: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
Weekly changes of Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale during the intervention
The Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale is a self-reported questionnaire measuring anxiety. Scores range from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating higher levels of anxiety.
Measured: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
Weekly changes of Overall Depression Severity and Impairment Scale during the intervention
The Overall Depression Severity and Impairment Scale is a self-reported questionnaire measuring depression. Scores range from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating higher levels of depression.
Measured: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
Weekly changes of Inner Peace Scale during the intervention
The Inner Peace Scale is a self-reported questionnaire measuring peace. Scores range from 0 to 28, with higher scores indicating higher levels of peace.
Measured: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
Weekly changes of Athens Insomnia Scale during the intervention
The Athens Insomnia Scale is a self-reported questionnaire measuring sleepy quality. Scores range from 0 to 24, with lower scores indicating higher levels of sleep quality.
Measured: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
Secondary outcomes (3)
Weekly changes of Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire during the intervention
The Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire is a self-reported questionnaire measuring experiential avoidance. Scores range from 15 to 90, with higher scores indicating higher levels of experiential avoidance.
Measured: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
Weekly changes of Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II during the intervention
The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II is a self-reported questionnaire measuring experiential avoidance. Scores range from 7 to 49, with higher scores indicating higher levels of experiential avoidance.
Measured: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
Weekly changes of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale during the intervention
The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale is a self-reported questionnaire measuring psychological health. Scores range from 0 to 63, with higher scores indicating lower levels of psychological health.
Measured: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 Mar 2023
- Study start11 Jul 2022
- Primary completion30 Oct 2022
- Study completion30 Oct 2022
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Emotional DistressStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Peking UniversityThe 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
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 158 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Peking University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Xinghua Liu, Principal investigator, Study Principal Investigator
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05789160
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- E20220718
- Status last verified
- Mar 2023
- First submitted
- 10 Mar 2023
- Last updated
- 29 Mar 2023
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 29 Mar 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Experiential Avoidance as Mechanism of Mindfulness Based Online Intervention in Reducing Emotional Distress
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05789160
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- E20220718
- Conditions
- Emotional Distress
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 158 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Peking UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 11 Jul 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Oct 2022 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Oct 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 29 Mar 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 hopes to explore whether experiential avoidance could be a mediator between mindfulness-based interventions and emotional distress.
Detailed description
The improvement of emotional distress by mindfulness intervention has been supported by a large number of empirical studies. For example, the meta-analysis of the effect of MBSR on people with chronic diseases shows that both anxiety (Hedges' g = 0.47) and depression (Hedges' g = 0.26) in mindfulness intervention group are reduced. Mindfulness-based interventions also have good intervention effect on anxiety (Hedges' g = 0.67) and depression (Hedges' g = 0.48) in the general population. Unfortunately, few studies have used the correct methods to test the mechanism of mindfulness-based interventions in mediation analysis or experiments.
Experiential avoidance refers to the unwillingness to keep in touch with specific personal experiences (such as physical feelings, emotions, thinking, memory, and behavioral tendencies), and to take measures to change the form or frequency of these experiences, as well as the situations that trigger these experiences. Experiential avoidance often has only a short-term effect, but it has no effect in the long run, and may even be unfavorable. The paradox of experiential avoidance is that trying to hide or suppress unpleasant thoughts, feelings and physical feelings will increase the frequency and pain of these same experiences, and will enhance the feeling that they are unreal or out of touch with themselves. In addition, long-term experiential avoidance will interfere with the fun of being completely immersed in any activity, leading to the reduction of the frequency of positive events and the suppression of positive emotions.
Some reviews believe that experiential avoidance is one of the mechanisms of beneficial effects brought by mindfulness. Some cross-sectional studies show that the reduction of empirical avoidance is an important intermediary factor in the path of mindfulness to psychopathology . However, no research has directly tested the mediating role of experiential avoidance in mindfulness-based intervention to alleviate emotional distress, which is also the problem that this study wants to explore. According to Kazdin(2007), in order to prove the timeline principle, that is, the change of experiential avoidance is before the change of emotional distress, we will measure the above variables every week during the intervention.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| the MIED group | Experimental | Behavioral: Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distressprovide standard audio instructions for mindfulness exercises, introduce the nature and law of anxiety, depression and other emotions, the source of anxiety, depression and other emotional distress, and the strategies and methods to alleviate emotional distress. These exercises, knowledge and strategies are based on the latest progress in the field of psychological counseling and treatment, and their application in daily life can help alleviate anxiety, depression and other emotional problems. |
| the waiting-list group | No intervention | –no treatment. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Subjects with scores greater than 21 on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Subjects who could not access the Internet;
- Subjects with insufficient Chinese ability;
- Subjects who have participated in mindfulness based projects for more than 6 weeks before, and / or the current frequency of meditation practice is more than once a week;
- Patients with schizophrenia or psychotic affective disorder, current organic mental disorder, substance abuse disorder and generalized developmental disorder;
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional DistressMindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress (MIED) program provide standard audio instructions for mindfulness exercises, introduce the nature and law of anxiety, depression and other emotions, the source of anxiety, depression and other emotional distress, and the strategies and methods to alleviate emotional distress. These exercises, knowledge and strategies are based on the latest progress in the field of psychological counseling and treatment, and their application in daily life can help alleviate anxiety, depression and other emotional problems. | Behavioural | the MIED group |
Primary outcome
Weekly changes of Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire during the intervention
Time frame: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire is a self-reported questionnaire measuring mindfulness levels. Scores range from 39 to 195, with higher scores indicating higher levels of mindfulness.
Weekly changes of Patient Health Questionnaire during the intervention
Time frame: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
The Patient Health Questionnaire is a self-reported questionnaire measuring the degree of being troubled by various common physical symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 30. 0~4 scores: no physical symptoms; 5~9 scores: mild physical symptoms; 10~14 scores: moderate physical symptoms; 15~30 scores: severe physical symptoms.
Weekly changes of Chinese Perceived Stress Scale during the intervention
Time frame: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
The Chinese Perceived Stress Scale is a self-reported questionnaire measuring stress. Scores range from 0 to 56, with higher scores indicating higher levels of stress.
Weekly changes of 10-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale during the intervention
Time frame: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
The 10-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale is a self-reported questionnaire measuring distress. Scores range from 10 to 50, with higher scores indicating higher levels of distress.
Weekly changes of Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale during the intervention
Time frame: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
The Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale is a self-reported questionnaire measuring anxiety. Scores range from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating higher levels of anxiety.
Weekly changes of Overall Depression Severity and Impairment Scale during the intervention
Time frame: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
The Overall Depression Severity and Impairment Scale is a self-reported questionnaire measuring depression. Scores range from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating higher levels of depression.
Weekly changes of Inner Peace Scale during the intervention
Time frame: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
The Inner Peace Scale is a self-reported questionnaire measuring peace. Scores range from 0 to 28, with higher scores indicating higher levels of peace.
Weekly changes of Athens Insomnia Scale during the intervention
Time frame: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
The Athens Insomnia Scale is a self-reported questionnaire measuring sleepy quality. Scores range from 0 to 24, with lower scores indicating higher levels of sleep quality.
3 secondary outcomes
Weekly changes of Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire during the intervention
Time frame: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
Weekly changes of Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II during the intervention
Time frame: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
Weekly changes of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale during the intervention
Time frame: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 29 Mar 2023.
- 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.
Xinghua Liu principal investigator
Study Principal Investigator
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress in people with Emotional Distress, run by Peking University at 1 site in China.
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 1 inclusion and 4 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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 Mar 2023. 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 China. 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?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
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?
Weekly changes of Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire during the intervention (time frame: pre-intervention; weekly during the 7-week intervention; immediately after the 7-week intervention). The study lists 8 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 Mar 2023.