Clinical Research Directory

Effect of Mindfulness Induction on Taekwondo-Specific Performance and Autonomic Recovery

This randomized, counterbalanced crossover study investigated whether a mindfulness induction could improve kicking performance and facilitate psychophysiological recovery following fatigue manipulation in taekwondo athletes. After completing a cognitively demanding task and a simulated taekwondo match, participants underwent either a 15-min mindfulness induction or a control condition before performing taekwondo-specific kicking tests. Kicking performance and heart rate variability (HRV) were assessed as the primary outcomes, while perceived exertion, blood lactate, mental fatigue, and state mindfulness were evaluated as secondary outcomes. The findings will provide insight into the potential of mindfulness induction as a practical between-match recovery strategy for enhancing both physiological and psychological recovery in taekwondo athletes.

Targeting Chronic Stress for Reducing Risk Factors for Colorectal Cancer

Many neighborhoods in Chicago experience daily exposure to stressors including economic inopportunity and violent crime in public spaces. There is mounting evidence that chronic psychosocial stress can facilitate carcinogenesis by modulating the gut microbiome and immune system. The proposed research aims to study the practice of mindfulness to mitigate CPS and reduce colorectal cancer risk factors among Black American women at elevated risk.

Changes in Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Experienced Meditators

This research project aims to investigate whether participation in a 5-day meditation retreat is associated with changes in biomechanical gait parameters in experienced meditators. Walking is a complex motor function that integrates cognitive, sensory, and neuromuscular processes, and alterations in gait have been linked to neurological, psychological, and emotional functioning. Recent advances in wearable sensor technology enable precise assessment of gait characteristics, including stance and swing phases, foot-rocker timing, acceleration, and joint kinematics, providing objective measures of motor performance. Mindfulness has consistently demonstrated beneficial effects on psychological well-being, emotion regulation, and body awareness, and growing evidence suggests that emotional states influence motor behavior, including gait. Furthermore, mindfulness-based interventions have shown promising effects on motor symptoms in some clinical populations, although the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Meditation retreats, which combine intensive mindfulness practice with a distraction-free environment, have been associated with sustained improvements in stress, anxiety, quality of life, and neuroplasticity-related processes. However, despite increasing interest in mind-body interventions, no published studies have specifically examined the effects of meditation retreats on gait biomechanics. This pilot study therefore seeks to address this knowledge gap by evaluating changes in gait and foot-strike biomechanics before and after a 5-day meditation retreat using wearable gait analysis technology. In addition, the study will explore the relationship between changes in biomechanical gait variables and participants' levels of mindfulness and quality of life. The findings are expected to provide preliminary evidence on the potential motor effects of intensive meditation practice and contribute to a better understanding of the interaction between mindfulness, body awareness, and locomotor function in healthy individuals.

Mindfulness and Compassion Program for the Improvement of Emotional and Behavioral Problems, Academic Performance and School Climate in Students in the Last Cycle of Primary Education.

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of a Mindfulness and Compassion program to improve emotional and behavioral problems, academic performance and school climate of students in the last cycle of Primary Education. Participants will be randomly assigned to the Cuida2 program or to an active control group practicing relaxation. The different variables studied will be evaluated before and after the intervention, and at a three months follow-up. These evaluations will be carried out by the students and their families. In addition, a qualitative exploration will be carried out at the end of the programs, also including the teachers' perceptions.

Investigation of Functional Brain Network in Altered Meditation State With Multimodal Neuroimaging

The purpose of this study is to investigate functional brain network in altered meditation state with multimodal neuroimaging.

A Mindfulness-based Intervention for Sexual Assault Survivors

The goal is this pilot randomized trial is to learn if intervention 1 is feasible and acceptable. A secondary aim is to learn if intervention 1 reduces alcohol misuse and tobacco use in sexual assault survivors. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is intervention 1 feasible to implement? * Is intervention 1 an acceptable intervention among the primary population, sexual assault survivors? * Does intervention 1 reduce alcohol misuse and tobacco use? Researchers will compare intervention 1 to an attention-placebo control group (e.g., online resources on healthy eating and nutrition). Participants will: * take online surveys at baseline, 1 month follow-up, and 3-month follow-up * answer text-message questions at baseline and post-test * view and engage in an educational program

Dose-Response Effects of a Brief Audio-Guided Mindfulness Intervention for Acute Pain

This project is a single-site, three-arm, randomized controlled trial investigating whether different length audio-recorded mindfulness practices differentially decrease pain among patients in a waiting room awaiting orthopedic care.

Mindfulness App Training for Cardiovascular Health

This study will investigate the feasibility and effects of a smartphone-based mindfulness training program vs. usual care in a sample of stressed midlife and older adults at risk for cardiovascular disease. 105 participants will be randomly assigned to complete a four-week mindfulness training intervention, which involves 28 audio-guided lessons and practice prompts delivered 3x daily, or to continue with their regular routines. Data will be collected at baseline, post-intervention, and three-month follow-up. The study will involve seven laboratory visits, which will include assessments and training on daily life monitoring and intervention procedures. Data assessing subjective and physiological stress reactivity in daily life will be collected for 3 days at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. Passive sensor data will be continuously collected from participants' smartphones and wearable devices to develop models that predict daily life stress. Data will be used to evaluate feasibility of the intervention and assessments in a sample at risk for cardiovascular disease and to test effects of mindfulness training on subjective and physiological stress reactivity.

Mindfulness-Art Therapy Intervention in Abused Adolescents

Adolescence is an important stage of development when many mental health difficulties first appear. Young people who have experienced abuse are especially vulnerable, as abuse can lead to intense feelings of shame and negatively affect their body self-concept. This study explored whether a group program combining mindfulness and art therapy-called the Mindfulness and Art Therapy Group Program (MATG-P)-could help adolescents with a history of abuse. Mindfulness helps young people become more aware of their thoughts and feelings in a nonjudgmental way, while art therapy allows them to express emotions safely and creatively. Although both approaches have been used separately, their combined effect was not previously studied among vulnerable adolescents. . Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the Mindfulness and Art Therapy Group Program on body self-concept and shame in adolescents with a history of abuse. After completing the intervention and analyzing the data, it was concluded that adolescents who participated in the program showed significant improvements in how they viewed their bodies and experienced lower levels of shame compared to those who did not receive the intervention. These findings suggest that combining mindfulness and art therapy in a group setting may be an effective way to support adolescents who have experienced abuse. Overall, this study highlights the potential contribution of MATG P as a supportive intervention to improve body self-concept and reduce shame among adolescents with a history of abuse.

Effect of Mandala Coloring on Menopausal Attitude, Perceived Stress and Mindfulness

Menopause is a natural life stage associated with hormonal changes that may affect women physically and psychologically. During this period, women may experience increased stress levels, negative attitudes toward menopause, and decreased mindfulness. Mandala coloring is a structured art-based intervention that may promote relaxation and improve psychological well-being. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of mandala coloring on attitudes toward menopause, perceived stress, and mindfulness levels among menopausal women.

Mindfulness Meditation for Insomnia

The investigators will conduct a 3-arm, pilot RCT where participants (N=30) will be randomized in a 1:1:1 design to 4 weeks of instructed bedtime MM practice at night (n=10) vs. uninstructed MM (n=10) vs. sleep hygiene education only (n=10). Aim 1 is to understand the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention and study procedures. Aim 2 is to explore patterns of within-group changes in sleep outcomes (i.e., insomnia severity and sleep quality). Patient-reported outcomes will be collected using a HIPAA-compliant electronic data management system (REDCap). Following informed consent, participants will receive links to REDCap surveys via email at Weeks 0, 4, 8, and 16. The investigators will also conduct a post-intervention interview at the end of Week 4 and an exit interview at Week 16. All participants will also receive a research kit with wearable devices and meet with our staff after they receive the kit for instructions. Data collected in the pilot RCT will help us to preliminarily identify tools for subjective measures and physiological signals to inform a future trial.

Mindful-Breath for People With COPD

Individuals living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often suffer from stress and behavioral risks such as physical inactivity. In an attempt to promote healthy behaviors and overall wellbeing among this particular population, this study aims to develop and evaluate a personalized Mindful-Breath intervention combining telehealth technology and mindfulness for COPD patients. This is an assessor-blinded, two-arm exploratory randomized controlled trial with a sequential mixed-method design. A total of 60 participants will be recruited and randomly assigned to either intervention or control group using 1:1 ratio. Intervention group will go through 8 weekly 60-min hybrid group sessions, combining mindfulness-based pulmonary rehabilitation and lifestyle modification. Personalized mindfulness-based lifestyle counselling through instant messages with chat-based support throughout the 8-week intervention period will also be provided. Control group will receive a single in-person 60-min group session on general education on pulmonary rehabilitation and lifestyle modification and will only receive reminder messages for follow-ups. Variables such as time spent on physical activity, lung function, perceived stress, symptom burden and health-related quality of life will be collected at three time-points (T0: baseline, prior to randomization; T1: immediate post-intervention; T2: 3-month post-intervention).

Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Education Program on Preschool Children's Attention Skills

This study examined the effect of the Mindfulness Education Programme on the attention levels of preschool children aged 60-72 months. Using a pre-test-post-test experimental design, the study was conducted with 18 children assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention group participated in an 8-week mindfulness programme including activities focused on breath awareness, body awareness, emotions, attention, self-awareness, self-compassion, and gratitude. Children's attention levels were assessed using the Frankfurter Attention Test before and after the intervention.

Dyadic Mindfulness for People With Parkinson's Disease and Their Caregivers

The proposed two-arm randomized waitlist-controlled trial will use a mixed-methods design to investigate the effects of dyadic mindfulness on physio-psycho-spiritual outcomes in people with Parkinson's Disease (PwPD) and their family caregivers. One hundred Chinese patient-caregiver dyads will be randomized to receive eight weekly 90-minute dyadic mindfulness sessions or usual care. Outcome measures include negative emotions (primary outcome), patient-caregiver relationship, mindfulness, HRQOL, gut microbiome, PD-related symptoms, and caregiving burden. An actor-partner interdependence model will be used to explore the interactions of treatment effects within the dyads. The dyads will be assessed at baseline(T0), post-intervention(T1), and 4-months post-intervention(T2). The investigators will also invite 25 dyads to attend in-depth interviews exploring their experiences, perceived changes, and factors attributable to the effectiveness/ineffectiveness of the intervention. Generalized linear mixed-effects (GLME) with intention-to-treat analysis will be used to compare the changes in outcomes over time within and between the two arms. The findings will be triangulated to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the intervention's effectiveness. This study will generate rigorous scientific evidence to inform the application of dyadic mindfulness as a public health practice preventing the progression of psychological distress in PwPD and caregivers to clinically severe levels. Its self-help nature also enriches the primary care for this clinical cohort.

Choice and Autonomy in Learning Mindfulness for Pediatric Residents

This study is a pilot clinical trial designed to evaluate a flexible, online mindfulness program for pediatric residents. Medical training can be stressful, and although mindfulness programs are often offered to support well-being, many are either in-person or follow a fixed format that may not fit individual schedules or preferences. This study will test a digital mindfulness program called Wakeful, which allows participants to complete the course at their own pace. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group will be able to choose the length of their mindfulness program (3, 5, or 7 weeks), while the other group will be assigned a program length without a choice. The goal is to understand whether giving participants a choice improves how often they use the program, how satisfied they are with it, and whether they complete it. The main outcomes of this study focus on how participants interact with the program, including how many sessions they complete, how often they practice mindfulness on their own, and how useful and relevant they find the program. The study will also look at overall satisfaction and how many participants drop out before finishing. In addition, the study will explore whether participants report changes in mindfulness and compassion for others, although it is not designed to determine clinical improvements in mental health. By understanding how pediatric residents engage with different program formats, this study aims to inform the design of more flexible and user-centered digital wellness programs that better fit into demanding medical training environments.

Mindfulness to Enhance Cognitive Health in Latino Older Adults

The primary objective of the proposed research is to investigate the promise and underlying mechanisms of mindfulness training as a preventative lifestyle intervention to enhance cognitive health in Latino older adults, thereby mitigating risk of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) in a population that may be particularly vulnerable.

Effect of MBSR Training on Childbirth Fear, Bonding and Breastfeeding in Adolescent Pregnant Women

This randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training given to adolescent pregnant women and their partners on fear of childbirth, maternal and paternal bonding, and breastfeeding success. Adolescent pregnancy is associated with increased stress, fear of childbirth and parenting anxiety, which negatively affect mother-infant and father-infant bonding and breastfeeding outcomes. MBSR training is expected to reduce fear of childbirth, strengthen maternal and paternal bonding, and improve breastfeeding success in adolescent pregnant women and their partners compared to the control group receiving routine care.

Mindfulness in a College Physiology Course

This proposed study aims to evaluate whether integrating mindfulness into an undergraduate biology course (Mindful Physiology) influences students' trait and applied mindfulness, well-being, and physiological stress reactivity. The primary questions are 1. Would completing the Mindful Physiology course increase applied mindfulness? 2. Would completing the class increase trait mindfulness? 3. Would completing the class increase subjective well-being? 4. Would completing the class reduce physiological stress response to an acute social stressor?

Stress Reactivity and Mother-Infant Cardiovascular Disease Risk

Prenatal Mindfulness training (MT) shows promise as a preventive intervention against hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and may reduce risk for offspring cardiovascular disease (CVD). One proposed mechanism of MT to reduced CVD risk is improved self-regulation following stress. Perhaps the most crucial contributor to the development of self-regulation in the first year is the psychophysiological coregulatory relationship between mother and infant. However, this self-and co-regulation among women exposed to prenatal MT has not been studied and has yet to be examined in relation to CVD risk. The goal of this proposed project is to evaluate maternal-infant physiological reactivity to and recovery from stress at 6 months postpartum following prenatal MT, and to examine the relationship between these maternal infant stress responses and maternal-infant CVD risk at 12 months postpartum. Using a lab-based stress paradigm and well-validated biomarkers of mother and infant CVD risk, the investigators will assess respiratory sinus arrhythmia and heart rate at 6 months postpartum for 40 mother-infant dyads who have completed either prenatal MT or a usual care arm of an RCT examining MT for women at risk for HDP. The investigators will compare maternal, infant, and dyadic stress responses by treatment arm. Then, cardiac stress responses will be examined as predictors of maternal and infant biomarkers of CVD risk at 12 months postpartum.

The Behavioral Effects of Mindfulness-Based Technology Use Training in Preschool Children

With the rapid advancement of technology, the use of digital devices has become widespread even in early childhood. While the conscious and controlled use of technology in the preschool period can contribute to children's development, prolonged and uncontrolled screen use can lead to various negative consequences such as sleep problems, attention issues, increased anxiety levels, and difficulties in social relationships. In particular, exposure to violent media content can cause children to perceive the world as more frightening and experience anxiety. Mindfulness-based training supports individuals in directing their attention to the present moment, recognizing their emotions, and accepting their experiences without judgment. Such training is known to develop self-regulation, attention, and emotional awareness skills in children. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of mindfulness-based technology use training applied to preschool children on their media usage habits, sleep patterns, fear levels, and parent-child relationship. The study is planned as a randomized controlled trial with an experimental design. The intervention group will receive mindfulness-based technology use training, while the control group will receive no intervention. The study expects that mindfulness-based training will reduce children's screen time, improve sleep quality, decrease fear levels, and strengthen parent-child relationships. This study aims to contribute to the development of intervention programs that support healthy technology use in early childhood.

The Impacts of Mindfulness on Psychological Wellbeing Among Nursing Students

The aims of this study are to develop a mindfulness-based elective course for nursing students and to evaluate its effects on psychological well-being, including mindfulness, depression, anxiety, stress, and problematic internet use, empathy, among nursing students.

Psychosocial Effects of Mindfulness-Based Exercise in Postmenopausal Women

Menopause is a natural biological process characterized by the permanent cessation of the menstrual cycle in women. Hormonal changes associated with menopause commonly lead to mood swings, anxiety, depression, stress, and decreased sleep quality in women. While the current literature indicates that mindfulness-based interventions offer potential benefits in alleviating psychological and physical symptoms in postmenopausal women, the limited number of studies in the literature and methodological differences suggest a need for more randomized controlled trials in this area. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of mindfulness-based exercises on psychosomatic complaints such as anxiety, depression, and sleep quality in postmenopausal women. Designed as a randomized controlled experimental study, it was planned to include at least 20 women in the early postmenopausal period residing in Istanbul and Izmir between March and June 2026. The women included in the study will be randomized into Group 1 (n=10), which will perform mindfulness-based exercises, and Group 2 (n=10), which will receive no intervention as usual. The STAI I-II Form State and Trait Anxiety Scale and Beck Anxiety Inventory will be used to assess state and anxiety level, the Beck Depression Scale for depression level, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Scale for sleep quality. Continuous variables will be presented as mean ± standard deviation, and qualitative variables as number and percentage (%). If parametric test assumptions are met, the Independent Samples t-test will be used to compare independent groups, and the Paired Samples t-test will be used to compare dependent groups. If parametric test assumptions are not met, the Mann-Whitney U test will be used to compare independent groups, and the Wilcoxon test will be used to compare dependent groups. Statistical significance will be set at p≤0.05. This study is expected to contribute to the literature by providing evidence-based data on the effectiveness of mindfulness-based exercises on common psychological symptoms in the postmenopausal period.

Yoga, Meditation and Mindful Eating Intervention in University Students

The aim of this study is to learn whether a program that combines yoga, meditation, and mindful eating can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and improve mindfulness in university students. The main questions the study aims to answer are: * Does participating in yoga, meditation, and mindful eating sessions lower students' levels of stress, anxiety, and depression? * Does the program improve students' mindfulness and general well-being? What will happen in the study: Participants will: * Attend weekly sessions of yoga, meditation, and mindful eating for 32 hours total. * Practice physical postures (Asanas), breathing exercises (Pranayama), relaxation, and meditation. * Receive short lessons about mindful nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits. * Complete questionnaires before and after the program to measure stress, anxiety, depression, and mindfulness.

The Effectiveness of a Mindfulness Based Program on Short- Form Video Addiction in Adolescents

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based program in reducing short form video addiction among adolescents. The study is designed as a randomized controlled trial with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design, including an intervention group and a control group. Research Hypothesis: Adolescents who participate in the Mindfulness-Based Program will have significantly lower short video addiction scores compared to those in the control group.