Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Facial Paralysis Patients

Johns Hopkins University

Status: Withdrawn

Conditions: Facial Paralysis

Treatments: Behavioral: Mindfulness Meditation Phone Application

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03622697

IRB00135870

Details and patient eligibility

About

Currently, physicians have several options in addressing the anatomic and physiologic sequela of facial paralysis. However, strategies to address the psychologic and coping ability for patients have not been investigated.

The goal is to investigate the effect of mindfulness meditation on social functioning in patients with facial paralysis. This study will also explore whether increasing social functioning in patients with facial paralysis will improve overall quality of life. These questions will be answered using a randomized controlled trial.

Full description

In this study population, facial paralysis was significantly associated with increased loneliness, decreased social function, decreased comfort with socializing, and worse quality of life scores. Furthermore, prior studies have shown that facial paralysis increases the likelihood of depression as measured on validated psychometric instruments. Currently, treating physicians have several options in addressing the anatomic and physiologic sequela of facial paralysis. However, strategies to address the psychologic and coping ability for patients have not been investigated. To better provide patient-centered care, physicians should consider the psychosocial impact of facial paralysis to identify patients who may benefit from additional support interventions to complement facial reanimation treatment plans.

This is a prospective repeated measures study examining psychosocial status as measured by validated psychometric instruments. The intervention group will participate in mindfulness meditation using a phone application. Assessment of social functioning and quality of life will be conducted using survey instruments.

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients older than 18 years of age
• Must have any-cause facial paralysis

Exclusion criteria

• Patients younger than 18 years old
• Non-English speakers
• Patients without smart-phone access
• Patients with autism
• Patients with schizophrenia
• Patients with an affective psychiatric condition

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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0 participants in 2 patient groups

Mindfulness Meditation Arm

Experimental group

Description:

Mindfulness meditation intervention: patients will be asked to complete a guided mindfulness meditation phone application intervention.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Mindfulness Meditation Phone Application

Non-Intervention Arm

No Intervention group

Description:

Patients assigned to the non-intervention arm will not be instructed to use a mindfulness meditation phone application and instead will listen to educational materials.