D-Stress Baltimore: School-based Mindfulness Instruction for Primary Prevention of Mental Health and Behavioral Problems in Middle School
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- Johns Hopkins University
- Enrollment
- 400
- Locations
- 3
- Primary Endpoint
- Depressive symptoms
Study Overview
Brief Summary
Effective strategies to ameliorate the negative effects of stressful urban living are greatly needed. D-Stress Baltimore (DSB) is an evidence-based mindfulness-based instructional program of stress-reduction techniques, found to reduce mental health problems across many adult populations.
The investigators propose to conduct a randomized controlled trial of the 12-week school-based DSB program compared with a 12-week school-based health education control program at Elev8 schools among 5th-8th graders to assess if DSB program is beneficial for mental health and behavioral problems among public middle-school students.
Detailed Description
Urban youth in Baltimore City are under significant and inevitable stresses, including violent neighborhoods, failing schools, and interpersonal conflict. Effective strategies to ameliorate the negative effects of stressful urban living are greatly needed.
D-Stress Baltimore (DSB) is an evidence-based mindfulness-based instructional program of stress-reduction techniques which has been found to be beneficial for adults in decreasing anxiety and depression, improving positive emotions, and reducing anger.
The investigators propose to conduct a randomized controlled trial of the 12-week school-based DSB program compared with a 12-week school-based health education control program at Elev8 schools among 5th-8th graders. The investigators hypothesize that the D-Stress Baltimore Program will reduce negative emotions, including hostility, and improve coping.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Crossover
- Primary Purpose
- Prevention
- Masking
- Double (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 9 Years to 18 Years (Child, Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •5th - 8th graders in select Baltimore City schools
Exclusion Criteria
- Not provided
Arms & Interventions
Mindfulness Instruction
Instruction on mindfulness concepts and practices. Classes are 45-90 minutes each and held weekly for 12 weeks.
Intervention: Mindfulness Instruction (Behavioral)
Health Education Instruction
Instruction on general health and wellness. Classes are 45-90 minutes each and held weekly for 12 weeks.
Intervention: Health Education (Behavioral)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Depressive symptoms
Time Frame: 9 months
Assessment of impact of Mindfulness instruction versus Health Education instruction as measured by scores on mental health questionnaire administered at baseline, and then 3 and 9 months later. Children's Depression Inventory - Short Form (CDI-S)
Affect Measures: Positive and Negative Affect Scale; State Trait Anger Expressivity Index; Differential Emotions Scale
Time Frame: 9 months
Assessment of impact of Mindfulness instruction versus Health Education instruction as measured by scores on mental health questionnaire administered at baseline, and then 3 and 9 months later.
Anxiety assessed by Multidimensional Anxiety Scale of Childhood.
Time Frame: 9 months
Assessment of impact of Mindfulness instruction versus Health Education instruction as measured by scores on mental health questionnaire administered at baseline, and then 3 and 9 months later.
Secondary Outcomes
- Coping Questionnaire(9 months)
- Post-traumatic stress symptoms(9 months)