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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06051500

Psychological and Physiological Effects of Different Objects of Breath Meditation

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Physiological Stress Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Emotions Psychological Stress Stress, Psychological

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Wisconsin

Madison, Wisconsin, 53705, United States

About this study

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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

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

Treatment and study plan

Nostril focus followed by belly focus

Behavioral

Focused breathing on the nostrils followed by focus breathing on the belly.

Belly focus followed by nostril focus

Behavioral

Focused breathing on the bellyfollowed by focus breathing on the nostrils.

Primary outcomes

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Perseverative Thinking (PTQ)

    Time frame: Baseline only

    The PTQ is a 15-item questionnaire asking how participants typically think about negative experiences or problems. Scores can range from 0-60, with higher scores representing higher levels of perseverative thinking.

  2. Change in Interoceptive Awareness

    Time frame: At baseline; after meditation 1 (5 minutes); and, after meditation 2 (15 minutes)

    The Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA) is a 37-item questionnaire that measures multiple dimensions of self-awareness. The Noticing, Attention Regulation and Self-regulation scales will be used. Scores range between from 0-20, 0-35 and 0-20, respectively, with higher scores represent higher interoceptive awareness.

  3. Change in Mindfulness

    Time frame: At baseline; after meditation 1 (5 minutes); and, after meditation 2 (15 minutes)

    The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) is a 39-item questionnaire. The Non-react to inner experience and Act with awareness subscales will be used. Scores can range from 7-35 and 8-40, respectively; higher scores represent higher levels of mindfulness facet.

  4. Change in Relaxation

    Time frame: At baseline; after meditation 1 (5 minutes); and, after meditation 2 (15 minutes)

    A research assistant or I will ask each participant to respond to the following statement: "In this moment I feel relaxed." Participants will select one of the following responses: strongly disagree, slightly disagree, neither agree nor disagree, slightly agree, strongly agree.

  5. Change in Focus

    Time frame: At baseline; after meditation 1 (5 minutes); and, after meditation 2 (15 minutes)

    A research assistant or I will ask each participant to respond to the following statement: "In this moment I feel focused." Participants will select one of the following responses: strongly disagree, slightly disagree, neither agree nor disagree, slightly agree, strongly agree.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Sep 25, 2023
Registry last updated
Jun 6, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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