Mindfulness-Based Interventions Targeting First-Generation College Student Retention in Rural Environments

NCT06789731 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 23-117
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 53
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this randomized control group is to learn about effective treatments for college students experiencing anxiety and/or depression. The main questions this clinical trial aims to answer are: 1) Can mindfulness-based treatments increase retention rates among first-generation college students? 1) Can mindfulness-based treatments decrease anxiety and/or depression among first-generation college students? Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups: mindfulness meditation or psychoeducation. Researchers will compare outcomes from each group to explore treatment differences.

Conditions

Depression; Anxiety

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Intention to Persist in College

  Change in participants' intention to persist in college will be assessed through an individual item rated in a numeric rating scale. Scores range from 0 to 5 with higher scores reflecting greater intent to remain in college.

  Baseline, post treatment (one week after the final treatment session), and follow-up (one month after the final treatment session)

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Anxiety

  Changes in participant's state anxiety will be captured within 5-minutes prior to each intervention and within 5 minutes after each intervention (mindfulness and psychoeducation)

• Depression

  Changes in participant's state anxiety will be captured within 5-minutes prior to each intervention and within 5 minutes after each intervention (mindfulness and psychoeducation)

Other Outcomes (7)

• Adverse Childhood Experiences questionnaire

  Baseline

• Sensation Manikin

  Changes in participant's state body sensations will be captured within 5-minutes prior to each intervention and within 5 minutes after each intervention (mindfulness, external qigong, and psychoeducation)

• Perceived Discrimination

  Baseline, post treatment (one week after the final treatment session), and follow-up (one month after the final treatment session)

Study Arms (2)

Mindfulness Meditation

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will meet virtually with the mindfulness practitioner once a week for four weeks for 30-minute segments.

Behavioral: Mindfulness Meditation

Psychoeducation

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will receive recordings online, once a week for four weeks which will be approximately 30 minutes in length.

Other: Psychoeducation

Interventions

Mindfulness Meditation BEHAVIORAL

Mindfulness meditation will be facilitated by a seasoned mindfulness practitioner. Participants will be guided through a loving kindness meditation adapted to apply to college communities and designed to help increase a sense of interconnectedness among their college community. They will also learn how to deconstruct feelings of anxiety and/or depression into sensory, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components.

Mindfulness Meditation

Psychoeducation OTHER

In the psychoeducation arm, participants will receive information related to creating connections with campus community and managing anxiety and/or depression through a presentation. They will also receive information on resources for connecting with their community and treating anxiety and/or depression.

Psychoeducation

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• years or older. Currently enrolled in four-year college in the United States. First-generation college student. Access to WiFi and a computer/smartphone/tablet. English speaking.

You may not qualify if:

• Not currently enrolled in a four-year college. Not a first-generation college student. Non-English speaker. Not able to utilize WiFi or computer/tablet/smartphone.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of South Dakota: lead
• Mind and Life Institute, Hadley, Massachusetts: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of South Dakota

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57107, United States

RECRUITING

Related Publications (7)

• Steer RA, Brown GK, Beck AT, Sanderson WC. Mean Beck Depression Inventory-II scores by severity of major depressive episode. Psychol Rep. 2001 Jun;88(3 Pt 2):1075-6. doi: 10.2466/pr0.2001.88.3c.1075.

  PMID: 11597055 BACKGROUND

• Hanley AW, Garland EL. Mapping the Affective Dimension of Embodiment With the Sensation Manikin: Validation Among Chronic Pain Patients and Modification by Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement. Psychosom Med. 2019 Sep;81(7):612-621. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000725.

  PMID: 31246748 BACKGROUND

• Hanley AW, Nakamura Y, Garland EL. The Nondual Awareness Dimensional Assessment (NADA): New tools to assess nondual traits and states of consciousness occurring within and beyond the context of meditation. Psychol Assess. 2018 Dec;30(12):1625-1639. doi: 10.1037/pas0000615. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

  PMID: 30058824 BACKGROUND

• Knowles KA, Olatunji BO. Specificity of trait anxiety in anxiety and depression: Meta-analysis of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Clin Psychol Rev. 2020 Dec;82:101928. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101928. Epub 2020 Oct 10.

  PMID: 33091745 BACKGROUND

• Sims M, Wyatt SB, Gutierrez ML, Taylor HA, Williams DR. Development and psychometric testing of a multidimensional instrument of perceived discrimination among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study. Ethn Dis. 2009 Winter;19(1):56-64.

  PMID: 19341164 BACKGROUND

• Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D, Williamson DF, Spitz AM, Edwards V, Koss MP, Marks JS. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. Am J Prev Med. 1998 May;14(4):245-58. doi: 10.1016/s0749-3797(98)00017-8.

  PMID: 9635069 BACKGROUND

• Navarro O, Olivos P, Fleury-Bahi G. "Connectedness to Nature Scale": Validity and Reliability in the French Context. Front Psychol. 2017 Dec 12;8:2180. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02180. eCollection 2017.

  PMID: 29312052 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depression; Anxiety Disorders

Interventions

Mindfulness

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Mental Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Study Officials

• Natalie Lecy

  University of South Dakota

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Natalie Lecy

CONTACT

6058644151; natalie.lecy@usd.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: The PI will randomly assign participants to condition and coordinate treatment group scheduling; the assessor will be blinded to condition.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Participants will be randomized to receive either: 1) Mindfulness Meditation or 2) Psychoeducation

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 17, 2025
• First Posted: January 23, 2025
• Study Start: January 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2027
• Last Updated: January 28, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Locations

US (1)