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Mindfulness for Emotional Distress: Neural Mechanisms
Sponsor: Peking University
Summary
This is a randomized controlled trial examining the efficacy and neural mechanisms of a standardized Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress (MIED) in adults with subclinical emotional distress. One hundred and sixty participants will be randomly assigned to either an 8-week MIED program or an 8-week Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) active control. The primary aim is to evaluate whether MIED reduces anxiety symptoms and reshapes multilevel emotional processing as measured by multimodal EEG (resting-state FAA/theta, Fast Periodic Visual Stimulation, and event-related potentials). Assessments occur at baseline (T1), post-intervention (T2), and 1-month follow-up.
Official title: Multilevel Neural Remodeling Mechanisms of Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - 50 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
160
Start Date
2026-07-04
Completion Date
2027-02
Last Updated
2026-07-09
Healthy Volunteers
No
Interventions
MIED
A standardized 8-week transdiagnostic mindfulness intervention (MIED) based on the Unified Protocol and contemporary mindfulness theory. Participants attend weekly 2.5-hour group sessions and complete daily 15-minute home practice via a mobile app (iMIED). Core practices include mindful breathing, body scan, mindful walking, and loving-kindness meditation. The program emphasizes four key strategies: engagement with life, distress tolerance, cognitive flexibility, and emotion-driven behavioral regulation. All sessions follow a structured manual to ensure fidelity.
PMR
A structured 8-week Progressive Muscle Relaxation program matched to MIED in frequency, duration, and format. Participants attend weekly 2.5-hour group sessions and complete daily 15-minute audio-guided home practice. The program progresses from systematic tension-release of major muscle groups to full-body relaxation, controlling for non-specific therapeutic factors (group support, time, expectancy). All sessions are manualized to ensure consistent delivery.
Locations (1)
Peking University, School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences
Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China