Meditation to Reduce Stress and Improve Quality of Life

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Stress
• Interventions: Behavioral: Meditation DVD

• Registration Number: NCT01047917
• Lead Sponsor: Mayo Clinic

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to test a simple meditation program that is easy to learn; inexpensive; easy to practice; non-religion based; and has wide applicability to multiple medical conditions. This program has been developed by the Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program at the Mayo Clinic.

Detailed Description

Stress is a ubiquitous problem and a mediator of symptoms for a variety of medical conditions. Most medical diagnoses, procedures, and physician visits are associated with considerable stress. Excessive stress is associated with adverse medical outcomes, unhealthy coping mechanisms, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and overall a poor quality of life. No specific pharmacologic treatment is available for treating stress. Further, it is often difficult or impossible to change the reality of circumstances causing stress in an individual. Thus increasing individual coping mechanisms and ability of a person to handle stress, rather than changing the stressors itself, might be a more feasible approach towards reducing stress.

Meditation is a widely used and increasingly popular intervention that positively affects the individual at cognitive, physical, emotional, behavioral, and spiritual levels. A practice of meditation has been shown to reduce symptoms of stress and improve overall quality of life. Several meditation programs exist, however most are limited by considerable expense, need for elaborate training, lack of widespread availability, or incorporation of ideas and practices unique to a particular culture.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2008-03
• Primary Completion: 2008-04
• Study Completion: 2008-04
• Study First Submitted: 2010-01-11
• Study First Submitted QC: 2010-01-12
• Study First Posted: 2010-01-13
• Status Verified: 2012-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2012-01-04
• Last Update Posted: 2012-01-06

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 17

Inclusion Criteria

• At least 18 years of age
• Good general health
• Access to a DVD player
• Provided with, understand, and have signed the informed consent

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Exclusion Criteria

• Are currently using (at the time of enrollment) antipsychotics or recently (< 3 months) started on antidepressants. Patients on stable dose of antidepressant (for ≥ 3 months) will be allowed.
• Have a lifetime history of schizophrenia

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Meditation DVD	Meditation DVD	All participants will receive a Meditation DVD to practice at home daily for a total of 4 weeks.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
To assess the feasibility of incorporating a 4-week innovative meditation program into the daily activities of healthy Mayo Clinic employees for improving stress.	4 Weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
To assess the effect of a 4-week program of meditation on perceived stress and overall quality of life compared to baseline.	4 Weeks

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Mayo Clinic; 🇺🇸 Rochester, Minnesota, United States