The Stress Reduction Intervention Study

The primary purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship between mindfulness and stress habituation. The investigators propose to measure the effect of mindfulness on stress habituation by randomly assigning participants to a 6-week mindfulness-based stress reduction group intervention, a cognitive-behavioral skills group comparison intervention, or a waitlist control condition followed by repeated acute psychosocial stress testing (2 laboratory sessions on 2 separate days). Saliva will be collected from participants throughout both laboratory testing sessions to measure HPA axis activation (an essential stress-responsive system), along with other measures of physiological and psychological stress (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure, emotions). Mediators and moderators of treatment outcome will be examined. The cognitive-behavioral skills group condition is an appropriate comparison group due to the well-documented efficacy of cognitive-behavioral interventions on stress.

This arm will receive no intervention for approximately the first 4 months. At the conclusion of the 4-month period, this group will receive a 6-week cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) group

This arm will receive 6 weekly, 2-hour groups that focuses on mindfulness meditation for stress reduction

A 6-week, 2-hour per group, skills group that focuses on various cognitive-behavioral skills for stress reduction (e.g., progressive muscle relaxation; cognitive restructuring).

A 10-item self-report measure that examines perceived stress. The measure produces one total score. The investigators will measure the change in total score from baseline to the 6-week assessment.

4 saliva samples will be collected before and after a psychosocial stressor task, which will be administered on two separate occasions separated in time by at least 48 hours. All saliva samples will be assayed for salivary cortisol using enzyme-linked immunoassays. The investigators will measure the change in cortisol stress profiles from the first stressor exposure to the second.

Heart rate and blood pressure will be assessed non-invasively and periodically before, during, and after non-invasively a psychosocial stressor task, with an Omron Health Care HEM-907XL Professional Blood Pressure Monitor. The investigators will measure the change in heart rate and blood pressure stress profiles from the first stressor exposure to the second.

Heart rate variability will be assessed continuously before, during, and after non-invasively a psychosocial stressor task, with a MP150 device manufactured by BIOPAC. The investigators will measure the change in heart rate variability stress profiles from the first stressor exposure to the second.

Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) will be used to assess state affect and specific emotions several times before and after a psychosocial stressor task. The investigators will measure the change in emotion response profiles from the first stressor exposure to the second.

Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) - state version. The investigators will measure the change in state mindfulness from the first stressor exposure to the second.

A shame experience and self implicit association test will be used to measure experiential self-referential processing of present moment shame. The investigators will measure the change in implicit association between self and shame from the first stressor exposure to the second.

Thoughts Questionnaire (TQ). The investigators will measure the change in state rumination from the first stressor exposure to the second.

Cognitive task appraisals will be assessed before and after a psychosocial stressor task. The investigators will measure the change in appraisals from the first stressor exposure to the second.

Inclusion Criteria: English-speaking adults who are between the ages of 18-50, who are in general good health Perceived stress scores (PSS) > 3 on a screening survey Exclusion Criteria: reported previous completion of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy program. reported pregnancy reported use of steroid medication presence of a major psychiatric or endocrine disorder (e.g., Major Depression, Cushings Disease; self-reported) reported regular wake time after 10:00 AM on a weekday

Manigault AW, Shorey RC, Decastro G, Appelmann HM, Hamilton KR, Scanlin MC, France CR, Zoccola PM. Standardized stress reduction interventions and blood pressure habituation: Secondary results from a randomized controlled trial. Health Psychol. 2021 Mar;40(3):196-206. doi: 10.1037/hea0000954.