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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06098352

The Impact of a Continuous Performance Task on the Stress Response

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about the impact of taking a continuous performance attention test on the physiological stress response in college students. The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Does taking an attention test cause participants to have increases in heart rate, blood pressure, and sweat? * Does taking an attention test cause participants to have a decrease in heart rate variability? * Are there relationships between participants' levels of anxiety, perceived stress, and mindfulness to their physiological changes?

Participants will

* Answer questionnaires about anxiety, stress, and mindfulness * Have baseline measurements taken for blood pressure, sweat, and heart rate variability * Take the PEBL Continuous Performance Task (a 14 minute attention test) while having the measurements listed above taken again

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Key information

Conditions

Stress Anxiety Disorders Mental Disorders

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Redlands

Redlands, California, 92373, United States

About this study

The PEBL Continuous Performance Task is an example of a mental stressor which requires vigilance and effort. We hypothesize that a sympathetic nervous system response will be evident in comparing physiological parameters during the attention task versus the preceding resting baseline period. Exploratory analyses will assess relationships between psychological measures of anxiety, stress, and mindfulness with this physiological response and the number of errors on the attention test.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • English language proficiency
  • First year, first semester student enrolled in Students Together Empowering Peers course at the University of Redlands

Exclusion criteria

  • severe mental health issues
  • currently taking anti-anxiety medication

Treatment and study plan

PEBL Continuous Performance Task

Behavioral

A PEBL version of the Conners Continuous Performance Task

Other names: Conners Continuous Performance Task

Primary outcomes

  1. Blood pressure

    Time frame: Measured once after an 8 minute resting baseline, then 2 minutes into the attention task, and 10 minutes into the attention task. Data collection was then complete.

    Systolic and diastolic

  2. Skin conductance level

    Time frame: Measured continuously during an 8 minute resting baseline, then continuously for the 14 minute attention task. Data collection was then complete.

    levels of sweat due to sympathetic nervous system activation

  3. Heart rate variability

    Time frame: Measured continuously during an 8 minute resting baseline, then continuously for the 14 minute attention task. Data collection was then complete.

    Normalized high frequency HRV

Secondary outcomes

  1. State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)

    Time frame: Questionnaire completed on day of enrollment (<30 minutes)

    Spielberger, C.D., R.L. Gorsuch, and R.E. Lushene, 1970. Scores on each of the state and trait sections range from 20 (low anxiety) to 80 (high anxiety)

  2. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10)

    Time frame: Questionnaire completed on day of enrollment (<30 minutes)

    Cohen, S., T. Kamarck, and R. Mermelstein. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 1983. Scores range from 0 (low perceived stress) to 40 (high perceived stress)

  3. Mindful Awareness and Attention Scale (MAAS)

    Time frame: Questionnaire completed on day of enrollment (<30 minutes)

    Brown, K.W. and R.M. Ryan. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2003. Scores range from 1 (least mindful) to 6 (most mindful)

  4. PEBL Continuous Performance Task Foil Accuracy Rate

    Time frame: 14 minute attention task on the day of the experiment

    For trials where participants were presented with a foil, the percent in which the participant did not commit a commission error (participant correctly did not press spacebar). Ranges from 0 - 100% accuracy.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Redlands

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2013
Primary completion
2013
Study completion
2013
First posted
Oct 24, 2023
Registry last updated
Oct 24, 2023

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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