Psychological and Physiological Effects of Different Objects of Breath Meditation
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Physiological Stress
- Sponsor
- University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Enrollment
- 96
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS-SF)
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- last year
Overview
Brief Summary
The goal of this research is to test whether certain areas of focus in breath meditation are connected with certain mental health outcomes. The main question to be addressed is whether attention placed on the breath in the belly versus the nostrils during meditation results in differences in subjective experience, respiration and heart rate.
Participants will:
- complete surveys
- have heart rate and respiration measured
- practice focused breathing
Participants can expect the study visit to last for one hour.
Detailed Description
An online prescreen will determine eligibility. Participants that 1) are under 18, 2) are not students currently enrolled at UW-Madison 3) have previous mediation experience 4) obtain a high PROMIS depression or anxiety score, or 5) have been diagnosed with one or more psychiatric disorders by a healthcare professional that will be listed in the pre-screen survey will be excluded. Participants deemed eligible following prescreen will schedule a lab visit. At the beginning of the lab visit, participants will be provided a consent document and time to ask questions. After signing the consent form, researchers will place ECG leads and a respiration belt on participants, and then complete the baseline survey battery. Participants will then sit at rest for 5 minutes of baseline heart rate and respiration data collection. Next, participants will be randomly assigned in a counterbalanced order to nostril focus first or belly focus first and asked to follow a brief (\~5 minute) guided practice. After the practice, participants will complete a second battery of self-reports and then have a 10-minute period of rest/recovery. They will then complete the second practice (\~5 minutes) followed by a final survey. The entire session will take about an hour.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •at least 18 years of age
- •student at UW Madison
- •no major history of meditation practice
Exclusion Criteria
- •under 18 years of age
- •not currently enrolled at UW Madison
- •have previous meditation experience
- •Self-reports a mental health diagnosis
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS-SF)
Time Frame: At baseline; after meditation 1 (5 minutes); and, after meditation 2 (15 minutes)
PANAS-SF is a 20-item questionnaire to assess positive versus negative affect. 10 of the items indicate positive affect, 10 indicate negative. Scores can range between 10-50 for positive affect, with higher scores representing higher levels of positive affect. Scores can range between 10-50 for negative affect, with lower scores representing lower levels of negative affect.
Change in Heart Rate
Time Frame: Baseline to practice 1 epoch (10 minutes); baseline 2 to practice 2 epoch (25minutes)
Using ECG electrodes and a BIOPAC system, heart rate will be monitored. Paired with respiration rate, this will give us further insight into the physiological responses to the participant's experience of the two variations of breath meditation.
Change in Respiration
Time Frame: Baseline to practice 1 epoch (10 minutes); baseline 2 to practice 2 epoch (25minutes)
Using respiration belts, rate of respiration will be collected. Paired with heart rate, this will give us further insight into the physiological responses to the participant's experience of the two variations of breath meditation.
Secondary Outcomes
- Perseverative Thinking (PTQ)(Baseline only)
- Change in Relaxation(At baseline; after meditation 1 (5 minutes); and, after meditation 2 (15 minutes))
- Change in Focus(At baseline; after meditation 1 (5 minutes); and, after meditation 2 (15 minutes))
- Change in Interoceptive Awareness(At baseline; after meditation 1 (5 minutes); and, after meditation 2 (15 minutes))
- Change in Mindfulness(At baseline; after meditation 1 (5 minutes); and, after meditation 2 (15 minutes))