The Mindful Media Project

NCT05138952 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 29159
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 26
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Problematic Internet Use (PIU) is an emerging mental health issue. Research consistently shows that university students are disproportionately vulnerable to experiencing PIU, and that this can be linked with both poorer academic performance and mental health outcomes. Despite these adverse consequences, there has been no research to date on treatments for those experiencing PIU. Preliminary research suggests that one promising candidate is mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness is a popular form of brain training that helps develop an ability to sit with uncomfortable thoughts and emotions, break compulsive behavioural patterns and make more mindful behavioural choices. The current proof-of-concept study aims to investigate the clinical potential of mindfulness meditation in reducing PIU severity for Australian university students who endorse moderate to severe PIU symptoms.

Conditions

Problematic Internet Use

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Problematic Internet Use (PIU) severity

  10-item abbreviated Internet Addiction Test (IAT-10). Scores range from 10 to 50, with higher scores indicating increasing severity of PIU.

  Change from baseline PIU severity at 1 month (post-intervention).

Secondary Outcomes (9)

• Change in response inhibition

  Baseline (0 months), Post-Intervention (1 month), Follow-Up (2-months)

• Change in psychological distress

  Change from baseline psychological distress at 1 month (post-intervention) and 2 months (one-month follow-up post intervention).

• Change in experiential avoidance

  Change from baseline experiential avoidance at 1 month (post-intervention) and 2 months (one-month follow-up post intervention).

• Change in trait mindfulness

  Change from baseline trait mindfulness at 1 month (post-intervention) and 2 months (one-month follow-up post intervention).

• Change in psychological wellbeing

  Change from baseline psychological wellbeing at 1 month (post-intervention) and 2 months (one-month follow-up post intervention).

Study Arms (1)

Mindfulness Meditation

EXPERIMENTAL

30-day program of mindfulness meditation comprising weekly group meditation tuition and support sessions and daily app-based mediation practice.

Behavioral: Mindfulness Meditation

Interventions

Mindfulness Meditation BEHAVIORAL

30-day mediation program comprising: 1. Weekly group mediation tuition and support sessions delivered online. Sessions will last 45-60 minutes and focus on mindfulness meditation theory and techniques, and trouble shooting barriers to practice and engagement. 2. 10-minutes of daily mindfulness meditation practice with the Headspace Inc app.

Mindfulness Meditation

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Voluntary and able to provide informed consent
• Endorse current moderate to severe PIU on IAT-10
• Currently attending an Australian university (full-time or part-time, international or domestic student)
• Ability to adhere to study procedures
• If taking psychoactive medication, have been stable on same type and dose for at least 4 weeks prior to study commencement

You may not qualify if:

• History of neurological illness or moderate to severe brain injury
• Severely impaired visual/auditory ability
• Diagnosed history of learning difficulty or other condition involving cognitive impairment as a primary feature.
• Lack of both verbal and written fluency in English
• Have engaged in \> 10 instances of formal mindfulness meditation practice in past 12 months

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Monash University: lead
• Headspace, Inc: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Monash University, BrainPark

Melbourne, Victoria, 3800, Australia

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Mindfulness

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Behavior Therapy; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Senior Research Fellow

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 10, 2021
• First Posted: December 1, 2021
• Study Start: August 16, 2021
• Primary Completion: September 16, 2021
• Study Completion: December 30, 2021
• Last Updated: April 6, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

AU (1)