AnxietyNCT07896122
Patient-Controlled Ambient Light to Reduce Pre-Visit Anxiety in Dermatology Patients
A study of Anxiety and Skin Neoplasms, run by Stanford University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Many patients feel anxious while waiting to see a dermatologist, especially in clinics that diagnose and treat skin cancer. The purpose of this study was to learn whether spending 10 minutes before the visit in an exam room lit by a tabletop colored-light device, which patients control themselves, lowers anxiety… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Anxiety, Skin Neoplasms
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 120 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 15 Jun 2026to 11 Aug 2026
- 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 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 18 years or older
- Scheduled for an outpatient appointment with the study dermatologist during the study period
- Able to read English and provide informed consent
Who cannot join
- Known photosensitive epilepsy or seizure disorder triggered by colored lights
- Significant visual impairment that would prevent perception of ambient light
- Prior participation in this study
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Stanford Dermatology Clinic
Redwood City, California, 94063
About this study
Official title: Effect of a Patient-Controlled Ambient Chromotherapy Device (Serene Sphere) on Anxiety in Outpatient Dermatology
Many patients feel anxious while waiting to see a dermatologist, especially in clinics that diagnose and treat skin cancer. The purpose of this study was to learn whether spending 10 minutes before the visit in an exam room lit by a tabletop colored-light device, which patients control themselves, lowers anxiety compared with usual room lighting. Adult patients at one Stanford dermatology clinic were assigned by clinic week: during intervention weeks the device was on and patients could choose its color and brightness with a handheld remote; during control weeks the room had standard lighting. Patients answered short questionnaires about how they felt when they arrived and again after 10 minutes in the room.
- Conditions
- Anxiety, Skin Neoplasms
- Being tested
- Patient-controlled ambient light (Serene Sphere)
- Keywords
- pre-visit anxiety, ambient lighting, colored light, patient control, dermatology, cutaneous oncology, clinic environment
- Medical subject headings
- Anxiety Disorders, Skin Neoplasms
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Patient-controlled ambient light (Serene Sphere)Other
Also called Serene Sphere
Tabletop ambient light with a frosted diffusing dome that fills the examination room with soft colored light at standard indoor brightness. A handheld remote lets the participant choose among preset color themes and adjust brightness. Research staff switched it on and briefly demonstrated the remote; the participant then spent 10 minutes alone in the room before any provider encounter. The device does not touch the participant or collect any data.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Patient-controlled ambient light | Experimental | Participants spent 10 minutes alone in the examination room with the ambient light device switched on and could change its color and brightness with a handheld remote, after a brief demonstration by research staff. Receives: Other: Patient-controlled ambient light (Serene Sphere) |
| Standard lighting (control) | No intervention | Participants spent 10 minutes alone in the examination room under standard clinic lighting; the light device was not switched on and no remote was provided. The same anxiety questionnaires and vital signs were collected on arrival and after 10 minutes as in the intervention arm. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in State Anxiety (STAI-6) Score
Six-item short form of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-6), prorated to a 20-80 scale; higher scores indicate more anxiety. Change = score after 10 minutes in the examination room minus score on arrival, compared between arms.
Measured: On arrival (before exposure) and 10 minutes later, before the provider encounter
Secondary outcomes (1)
Change in Anxiety Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) Score
Single-item 0-10 numeric rating of anxiety about the appointment; higher scores indicate more anxiety. Change = score after 10 minutes in the examination room minus score on arrival, compared between arms.
Measured: On arrival (before exposure) and 10 minutes later, before the provider encounter
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted26 Oct 2026
- Study start15 Jun 2026
- Primary completion11 Aug 2026
- Study completion11 Aug 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for AnxietyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Stanford 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
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Nonrandomized allocation by clinic week: the clinic alternated between control weeks and intervention weeks, and all participants enrolled in a given week received the same condition. Each participant took part once.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Stanford University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Lisa Zaba, Stanford University
- Investigators
- Lisa Zaba, MD, PhD, Principal investigator, Stanford University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07896122
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB-86235
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 19 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 26 Oct 2026
- 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 26 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect of a Patient-Controlled Ambient Chromotherapy Device (Serene Sphere) on Anxiety in Outpatient Dermatology
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07896122
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB-86235
- Conditions
- Anxiety, Skin Neoplasms
- Keywords
- pre-visit anxiety, ambient lighting, colored light, patient control, dermatology, cutaneous oncology, clinic environment
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Stanford UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 11 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 11 Aug 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 26 Oct 2026 (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.
Many patients feel anxious while waiting to see a dermatologist, especially in clinics that diagnose and treat skin cancer. The purpose of this study was to learn whether spending 10 minutes before the visit in an exam room lit by a tabletop colored-light device, which patients control themselves, lowers anxiety compared with usual room lighting. Adult patients at one Stanford dermatology clinic were assigned by clinic week: during intervention weeks the device was on and patients could choose its color and brightness with a handheld remote; during control weeks the room had standard lighting. Patients answered short questionnaires about how they felt when they arrived and again after 10 minutes in the room.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Nonrandomized allocation by clinic week: the clinic alternated between control weeks and intervention weeks, and all participants enrolled in a given week received the same condition. Each participant took part once.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Patient-controlled ambient light | Experimental | Other: Patient-controlled ambient light (Serene Sphere)Participants spent 10 minutes alone in the examination room with the ambient light device switched on and could change its color and brightness with a handheld remote, after a brief demonstration by research staff. |
| Standard lighting (control) | No intervention | –Participants spent 10 minutes alone in the examination room under standard clinic lighting; the light device was not switched on and no remote was provided. The same anxiety questionnaires and vital signs were collected on arrival and after 10 minutes as in the intervention arm. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Age 18 years or older
- Scheduled for an outpatient appointment with the study dermatologist during the study period
- Able to read English and provide informed consent
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Known photosensitive epilepsy or seizure disorder triggered by colored lights
- Significant visual impairment that would prevent perception of ambient light
- Prior participation in this study
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Patient-controlled ambient light (Serene Sphere)Also: Serene SphereTabletop ambient light with a frosted diffusing dome that fills the examination room with soft colored light at standard indoor brightness. A handheld remote lets the participant choose among preset color themes and adjust brightness. Research staff switched it on and briefly demonstrated the remote; the participant then spent 10 minutes alone in the room before any provider encounter. The device does not touch the participant or collect any data. | Other | Patient-controlled ambient light |
Primary outcome
Change in State Anxiety (STAI-6) Score
Time frame: On arrival (before exposure) and 10 minutes later, before the provider encounter
Six-item short form of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-6), prorated to a 20-80 scale; higher scores indicate more anxiety. Change = score after 10 minutes in the examination room minus score on arrival, compared between arms.
1 secondary outcome
Change in Anxiety Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) Score
Time frame: On arrival (before exposure) and 10 minutes later, before the provider encounter
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 26 Oct 2026.
- 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.
Lisa Zaba, MD, PhD principal investigator
Stanford University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study of Anxiety and Skin Neoplasms, run by Stanford University 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 3 inclusion and 3 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 26 Oct 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?
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?
Change in State Anxiety (STAI-6) Score (time frame: On arrival (before exposure) and 10 minutes later, before the provider encounter). 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 26 Oct 2026.