Cognition and Emotion in Meditation: A Comparison Between Mindfulness and Compassion Standardized Programs

NCT03920241 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: PSI-559959-R
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 650
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The study is aimed at comparing the differential effects of two widely used standardized meditation programs: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) in general population samples. To address this goal, the effects will be measured by self-report questionnaires belonging to different domains (mindfulness, compassion, well-being, psychological distress, and psychological functioning) as well as information processing measures (i.e., Attentional Blink), and psychophysiological measures (EEG and EKG). Changes will be assessed immediately after finishing the 8-week programs and through several inter-session assessments. Data analysis will include the mean change scores differences, as well as novel network analysis procedures to assess topological reorganization of constructs derived from the programs.

Conditions

Well-being; Emotion Regulation; Cognitive Control; Attention; Psychological Distress; Psychophysiologic Reaction; Compassion; Mindfulness

Keywords

Mindfulness; Compassion; Well-being; Network analysis; MBSR; CCT; Attentional blink; Cognition

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Change from Baseline in attention performance (Lab measures)

  Attentional blink (accuracy emotion identification)

  Pre- and post-intervention assessments (baseline and 8 weeks later)

• Change from Baseline in brain activity (Lab measures)

  EEG (frontal lobe activity)

  Pre- and post-intervention assessments (baseline and 8 weeks later)

• Change from Baseline in heart activity (Lab measures)

  EKG (Heart rate variability)

  Pre- and post-intervention assessments (baseline and 8 weeks later)

Secondary Outcomes (18)

• Mindfulness - General mindfulness

  Pre and post-intervention assessments as well as intersession assessments (8 weekly assessments)

• Mindfulness - Non-attachment

  Pre and post-intervention assessments as well as intersession assessments (weekly assessments during the 8 weeks of duration of the program))

• Mindfulness - Decentering

  Pre and post-intervention assessments as well as intersession assessments (weekly assessments during the 8 weeks of duration of the program)

• Mindfulness - Interoceptive awareness

  Pre and post-intervention assessments as well as intersession assessments (weekly assessments during the 8 weeks of duration of the program)

• Mindfulness - State mindfulness

  Pre and post-intervention assessments as well as intersession assessments (weekly assessments during the 8 weeks of duration of the program)

Study Arms (3)

MBSR group

Attendants to Mindfulness-Based Stres Reduction programs offered to the community by Complutense University

Behavioral: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

CCT group

Attendants to Compassion Cultivation Training programs offered to the community by Complutense University

Behavioral: Compassion Cultivation Training

Control group

Control group matched by age, gender, and meditation experience.

Other: Control Group

Interventions

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction BEHAVIORAL

The MBSR is an 8-week standardized program (Kabat-Zinn, 1990) consisted of 2.5-hour of face-to-face weekly sessions, and 45 minutes of daily home formal and informal practices. Training will be conducted in groups of 20-30 participants. During the program, different mindfulness practices are performed, including focused attention on the breath, open monitoring of awareness in body-scanning, prosocial meditation (i.e. loving kindness and compassion) and gentle yoga. Training is delivered by certificated instructors by the University of Massachusetts Centre for Mindfulness (https://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/).

Also known as: MBSR

MBSR group

Compassion Cultivation Training BEHAVIORAL

The CCT is an 8-week standardized program (Jinpa, 2010; Jazaieri et al. 2013, 2014) consisting of 2.5-hour of face-to-face weekly sessions and 30 minutes of daily home formal and informal practices. Training will be conducted in groups of 20-30 participants. The CCT consists of six sequential steps: 1) Settling the mind and learn how to focus it; 2) Loving kindness and compassion for a loved one practice; 3) Loving kindness and compassion for oneself practice; 4) compassion toward others, embracing shared common humanity and developing appreciation of others; 5) compassion toward others including all beings; and 6) active compassion practices (Tonglen) which involve explicit evocation of the altruistic wish to do something about others' suffering. CCT program is delivered by certificated instructors by the University of Stanford Centre for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (http://ccare.stanford.edu/).

Also known as: CCT

CCT group

Control Group OTHER

A group of participants, matched by age, gender, and meditation experience is selected to compare their performance on experimental lab tasks in relation to the MBSR and CCT participants.

Control group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy volunteers, from the community, attending courses of mindfulness or compasion at a University center.

You may qualify if:

• years of age or more
• Fluency in oral and written Spanish

You may not qualify if:

• Having any current of serious psychological disorder or substance abuse / dependence.
• Being currently enrolled in another standardized meditation program

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universidad Complutense de Madrid: lead

Study Sites (1)

School of Psychology

Madrid, 28223, Spain

Location

Related Publications (5)

• Khoury B, Sharma M, Rush SE, Fournier C. Mindfulness-based stress reduction for healthy individuals: A meta-analysis. J Psychosom Res. 2015 Jun;78(6):519-28. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2015.03.009. Epub 2015 Mar 20.

  PMID: 25818837 BACKGROUND

• Tang YY, Leve LD. A translational neuroscience perspective on mindfulness meditation as a prevention strategy. Transl Behav Med. 2016 Mar;6(1):63-72. doi: 10.1007/s13142-015-0360-x.

  PMID: 27012254 BACKGROUND

• van der Velden AM, Roepstorff A. Neural mechanisms of mindfulness meditation: bridging clinical and neuroscience investigations. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2015 Jul;16(7):439. doi: 10.1038/nrn3916-c1. Epub 2015 Jun 17. No abstract available.

  PMID: 26081785 BACKGROUND

• Kuyken W, Warren FC, Taylor RS, Whalley B, Crane C, Bondolfi G, Hayes R, Huijbers M, Ma H, Schweizer S, Segal Z, Speckens A, Teasdale JD, Van Heeringen K, Williams M, Byford S, Byng R, Dalgleish T. Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse: An Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis From Randomized Trials. JAMA Psychiatry. 2016 Jun 1;73(6):565-74. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.0076.

  PMID: 27119968 BACKGROUND

• Malinowski P. Neural mechanisms of attentional control in mindfulness meditation. Front Neurosci. 2013 Feb 4;7:8. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2013.00008. eCollection 2013.

  PMID: 23382709 RESULT

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Emotional Regulation

Interventions

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction; Control Groups

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Self-Control; Social Behavior; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mindfulness; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Behavior Therapy; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Epidemiologic Research Design; Epidemiologic Methods; Investigative Techniques; Research Design; Methods

Study Officials

• Carmelo Vazquez, PhD

  School of Psychology (Complutense University)

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: ECOLOGIC OR COMMUNITY
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Full Professor of Psychopathology

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 12, 2019
• First Posted: April 18, 2019
• Study Start: May 1, 2017
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2019
• Study Completion: December 15, 2020
• Last Updated: May 23, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-05

Locations

ES (1)