Effect of Acute Psychological Stress on Glucose Concentrations in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes...
Type 2 DiabetesThe study is designed to evaluate the effects of acute psychological stress on blood glucose levels. We will study one group of patients in the fasting state on a control day and a stress test day, another group will undergo the same protocol in the postprandial state.
Stress Management Therapy in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy for Cancer
CancerPsychological Stress2 moreRATIONALE: A stress-management program may improve quality of life and reduce anxiety and depression in patients receiving chemotherapy for cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying how well stress management therapy works in patients receiving chemotherapy for cancer.
Effects of Forest Bathing in Vancouver, B.C. Parks
NatureHuman6 moreThis study aims to investigate environmental factors that influence people's responses to the Japanese practice of forest bathing in Vancouver, B.C. parks.
The Effect of Mindfulness on Psychophysiological Stress in a Population With Elevated Stress Symptoms...
Psychological StressPhysiological StressStress-related disorders have over the last decade increased and contributed to a worldwide disease burden. At the same time there is limited treatment access for mental health disorders, which has left many people without necessary care. However, in recent years there has been a rise in digital mindfulness interventions. Specifically, these interventions have focused on smartphone-based applications as an effective format for mindfulness training programs. Thus, the goal of this randomized controlled trial is to test the effects of three types of mindfulness programs in a population with elevated stress. The three formats of mindfulness interventions are identical in total training duration but varies in content and intervention length. Specifically, the first intervention consists of programmatic mindfulness content that progress over the course of 30 sessions with a duration of 10 min per session. The second intervention consists of single succinct breathing exercises with no programmatic content over the course of 30 sessions with a duration of 10 min per session. The third intervention consists of mindfulness-based content specifically targeted to people with elevated stress that progress over the course of 20 sessions with a duration of 15 min per session. An active control group listening to an audiobook over the course of 30 sessions with a duration of 10 min per session will be employed and a passive control group. The study will evaluate outcomes related to subjective stress, sleep quality, mindfulness and physiological effects of stress using HRV.
Meditation or Health & Wellness Education Via Internet for Adults 50-80 Years Old
StressPhysiological2 moreTelephone Eligibility Screening Baseline Visit, includes online questionnaires, physical measures, cognitive tasks, voice recordings, physical recordings of brain waves, heart rate, breathing rate, and sweat during computer tasks. Collect saliva samples, questionnaire data, and respond to handheld device that rings randomly for the seven days following the visit. Randomized to receive (a) an internet-based Mindfulness Meditation program, (b) an internet-based Health & Wellness Education program, or (c) no training. IF assigned to receive a training program, participants complete weekly one-hour online trainings and daily home practice for 6 weeks Endpoint Visit (same as Baseline), scheduled 8 weeks after Baseline All participants receive Meditation and Education programs after the Endpoint Visit Online questionnaire follow-up 6 months after the Endpoint
Mechanisms of Mindfulness Training and Stress Reduction
Psychological StressMindfulnessThis study is a three-arm randomized controlled trial of a mindfulness stress reduction intervention, with the aim of dismantling the experience-monitoring and nonjudgmental-acceptance elements of mindfulness programs to determine the active treatment component. In addition to enhancing understanding of mechanisms underlying the effects of mindfulness interventions, identifying the therapeutic constituent(s) could inform development of targeted interventions as well as provide strategies to optimize adherence.
Comfort Talk for Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization
AnxietyPain4 moreBackground: Pre anaesthesia anxiety in children is a strong predictor of postoperative behavior challenges and outcomes. In addition, intra-operative stress can precipitate post-traumatic stress symptomatology. Comfort Talk, consisting of rapport, relaxation, and reframing of potentially stressful experiences, applied pre-operatively in script form, has been highly successful in alleviating anxiety and positively affecting procedural outcomes in adult patients undergoing interventional procedures. No published literature exists evaluating its' impact in paediatric cardiac catheterization. Purpose: To investigate the impact of comfort talk on the level of pre-induction anxiety, procedural and recovery experience, as well as short-term post-procedural behaviour and satisfaction after discharge in pediatric patients undergoing cardiac catheterization procedures. Design: Prospective randomized, double blind controlled trial. Participants: 160 children, ages 7-18 years, having a cardiac catheterization procedure under general anaesthesia. Intervention: Group A will be read a pre-procedure comfort talk script in the pre-procedure work-up area; Group B will be read a pre-extubation (before the breathing tube is removed) script ; Group C will be read a pre-procedure plus a pre-extubation script; Group D will not be read any script. All groups will be treated according to the standard of care approaches usually provided for anaesthesia, catheterization, and recovery. Outcomes: We will compare the effect of the script strategy on preoperative anxiety. Procedural and recovery measurements will include room time in the catheterization suite, time to discharge from the recovery room; drug use, vomiting, rebleeds, and cardiorespiratory stability. Postoperative behaviour will be assessed by questionnaire. Postoperative anxiety and pain will be secondary outcome measures using queries on 0-10 verbal self-report scales Hypotheses are: Patients being read a preoperative Comfort Talk script will experience less anxiety prior to anaesthesia induction. The reduction of anxiety prior to induction is associated with better immediate and short-term recovery outcomes. Patients being read a pre-extubation script will recover better than controls. The combination of a pre-procedure script and a pre-extubation script will have the greatest positive effect on physical and emotional well-being in the immediate recovery period and at short term follow-up.
Mechanisms of Mindfulness and Stress Resilience: A Mobile App Mindfulness Training Study
Psychological StressMindfulnessThe purpose of this study is to test the active components of mindfulness meditation for reducing psychological stress and improving biomarkers of health. This study compares the effects of three brief trainings: (1) training in both present-moment attention and mindful acceptance, (2) training in present-focused attention, and (3) an active psychological training with no mindfulness content.
Optimizing Resilience and Coping in HIV Via Internet Delivery
HIV DiseaseDepression2 moreThis is a feasibility/pilot test of a set of positive affect skills provided online to HIV positive people with elevated depressive symptoms - a Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale D (CES-D) score > 10. The investigators will test the feasibility of recruitment, retention and acceptability of these skills in an online delivery format, determine feasibility and acceptability of daily emotion assessments via text messaging and assess efficacy of these skills for improving psychological well-being this population.
30 Day Mobile App Programs for Stress Management in Customer Service Representatives
Psychological StressInflammationBurnout and stress at work can make individuals less productive, which can carry over into their personal and at-home lives and negatively impact health. Customer service representatives are under especially high strain as they are exposed to significant interpersonal conflict at work, both with frustrated customers and with pressure from coworkers and supervisors. However, recent research has found that different stress management interventions (e.g., mindfulness meditation training) can increase job satisfaction and work productivity. However, individuals with significant stress might find these training program classes difficult to attend with their busy schedules. Newer interventions have focused on smartphone mobile applications as an effective delivery system for these training programs. Thus, the purpose of this project is to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing two different stress management smartphone app programs to evaluate effects on job-related outcomes, functional and structural brain outcomes, and biology.