The Role of Anchoring and Distraction in the Effectiveness of Mindfulness on Reducing Emotional Reactivity

The University of Hong Kong (HKU)

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Mental Health Issue; Emotional Adjustment

Treatments: Behavioral: Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06876220

UHongKong(JC PandA_fMRI)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The current study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L) on the use of anchoring and distraction as emotion care/regulation strategies. It is hypothesized that anchoring and distraction are related but different processes, which could be evidenced by fMRI. The investigators further hypothesized that mindfulness training could lead to functional changes in the brain, which could also be evidenced by fMRI.

Full description

To test the hypotheses, the participants will be randomly allocated to either the experimental group or the waitlist control group. Both groups will complete behavioral measures and an fMRI experiment before the experimental group's intervention (T0). The experimental group will receive Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L) between T0 and T1, while the waitlist control will receive no treatment during this period. Both groups will complete the behavioral measures and the fMRI experiment again after the experimental group finishes the MBCT-L course (T1).

Enrollment: 60 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 25 to 35 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Right-handed
• Currently registered in post-graduated program with professional counselling training

Exclusion criteria

• History of neurological or other disorders affecting the brain (such as encephalitis, epilepsy, birth defects, or polio)

• Have experienced a concussion, head or brain trauma, seizures, loss of consciousness

• Have been injured in the eye by a metallic foreign body.

• Have been injured by metallic foreign body (e.g. bullet, shrapnel)

• History of sickle cell anemia/kidney disease/diabetes, asthma, or allergies

• Long-term use of medication is required

• Currently pregnant or breast feeding.

• Had the following conditions or implants in their body:

  • Surgical clips
  • Cardiac pacemaker
  • Neurostimulator/internal electrodes
  • Insulin pump
  • Internal shunt
  • Metal screen / suture
  • Cochlear implants
  • Hearing aid
  • Eye implants/eyelid springs
  • Orthopaedic devices (e.g. pins, nails, screws)
  • Prosthetic heart valve
  • Breast tissue expander
  • Tattoo or permanent eye-lining
  • Body ring
  • Patch/Blood Glucose Monitor
  • Dentures
  • Intrauterine contraceptive device
  • Metal blockage in the blood vessel/metal foreign body in the body

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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60 participants in 2 patient groups

intervention group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive an 8-week mindfulness-based group intervention, namely Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L)

waitlist controlled group

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants in the wait-list control group will receive the same intervention, two months after the experimental group completed the intervention.