Effectiveness of short-term audio mindfulness in the Chinese community: a pilot study

ISRCTN ISRCTN16205138
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN16205138
Submission date
23/02/2021
Registration date
26/02/2021
Last edited
04/06/2024
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English Summary

Background and study aims
Mindfulness is paying more attention to the present moment – to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you. Becoming more aware of the present moment can help us enjoy the world around us more and understand ourselves better. When we become more aware of the present moment, we begin to experience afresh things that we have been taking for granted.
This is a study to test the effectiveness of a short-term audio mindfulness meditation (SAM) program for reducing signs of negative emotions in Chinese community-dwelling people during the period of COVID-19.

Who can participate?
Community-dwelling adults in mainland China will be recruited online.

What does the study involve?
Participants will be randomly allocated to the mindfulness meditation group or a waiting list control group. In the mindfulness group, participants will spend 10 to 20 minutes listening to the audio contents and practice daily mindfulness exercises throughout 3-week with a total of 21 sessions. At day 7, 14 and 21, participants will complete questionnaires to assess mental well being. After 21 days, the control group will also receive the meditation recordings.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
This study will provide evidence to support a cost-effective and efficacious SAM program for community-dwelling people in mainland China during the epidemic period when face-to-face intervention is not feasible. Potential risks vary from person to person. Studies showing mindfulness may produce side effects of false memory and burnout.

Where is the study run from?
Department of Social Work at Hong Kong Baptist University (China)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
October 2020 to July 2021

Who is funding the study?
Investigator initiated and funded

Who is the main contact?
Dr Joshua Nan, joshuanan@hkbu.edu.hk

Contact information

Dr Joshua Nan
Scientific

Room AAB1012A, 10/F
Academic and Administration Building
15 Baptist University Road
Baptist University Road Campus
Hong Kong Baptist University
Kowloon Tong, KLN
Hong Kong
999077
China

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0003-4840-6539
Phone +852 34112009
Email joshuanan@hkbu.edu.hk
Ms Manying Kang
Scientific

Room DLB701, 7/F
David C Lam Building
15 Baptist University Road
Baptist University Road Campus
Hong Kong Baptist University
Kowloon Tong, KLN
Hong Kong
999077
China

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0002-3784-734X
Phone +852 34112485
Email 20481985@life.hkbu.edu.hk

Study information

Study designMulticenter interventional non-blinded randomized controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Internet/virtual
Study typeQuality of life
Participant information sheet No participant information sheet available
Scientific titleEffectiveness and moderated mediation of short-term audio mindfulness for Chinese community-dwelling people: a randomized controlled trial
Study acronymMMCRCT
Study hypothesisThe primary hypothesis is that negative emotions (anxiety, depression, stress, and negative affect) of community-dwelling people in mainland China will be reduced after mindfulness intervention and there are the potential mediation and moderation effect of anxiety through intervention effects on negative affectivity. Secondary hypotheses include positive emotions assessed, such as well-being, positive affect and mindfulness level, will be improved after the intervention.
Ethics approval(s)Approved 18/02/2021, Research Ethics Committee of Hong Kong Baptist University (Graduate School, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong; no telephone number provided; hkbu_rec@hkbu.edu.hk), ref: REC/20-21/0270
ConditionImprovement of mental health in Chinese community-dwelling people during COVID-19 period
InterventionCommunity-dwelling adults in mainland China will be recruited online and will be randomized using a computer-generated random number into an online audio-mindfulness meditation program and a waitlist control group. In the mindfulness group, participants will spend 10 to 20 minutes listening to the audio contents and practice daily mindfulness exercises throughout 3-week with a total of 21 sessions. They will fill in the scales about negative emotions (anxiety, depression, stress, and negative affect) four times (at baseline, 1-week, 2-week, and 3-week). Participants in the waitlist control group will need to fill in the same scales as the intervention group twice (at baseline and 3-week) and they will receive the same audio-mindfulness program for self-practice after all data collection procedures in the mindfulness group will be completed.
Intervention typeBehavioural
Primary outcome measure1. Stress will be measured using the Chinese version of the Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS) at baseline, 7-days, 14-days, and 21-days
2. Anxiety and depression will be measured using the Chinese Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS) at baseline, 7-days, 14-days, and 21-days
3. Negative affect will be measured using Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) at baseline, 7-days, 14-days, and 21-days
Secondary outcome measures1. Well-being will be measured using the World Health Organization 5-item Well Being Index (WHO-5) at baseline, 7-days, 14-days, and 21-days
2. Mindfulness will be measured using the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI) at baseline, 7-days, 14-days, and 21-days
3. Positive affect will be measured using Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) at baseline, 7-days, 14-days, and 21-days
Overall study start date03/10/2020
Overall study end date01/07/2021

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Healthy volunteer
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participants140 participants will be recruited and randomized into an online audio-mindfulness meditation program (n=70) and a waitlist control group (n=70).
Total final enrolment100
Participant inclusion criteria1. Adults over 18 years old
2. Can understand and read Mandarin.
3. Have a smartphone with consistent internet access and can receive audio from the researcher every day
4. Have spare time to listen to audio for 10-15 minutes every day for 21 consecutive days
Participant exclusion criteria1. Practiced mindfulness mediation before
2. Receive any medication or psychotherapy currently
3. Have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or other mental illness
Recruitment start date15/03/2021
Recruitment end date01/05/2021

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • China

Study participating centre

Hong Kong Baptist University
Kowloon
Hong Kong
999077
China

Sponsor information

Hong Kong Baptist University
University/education

Graduate School
Kowloon Tong
Hong Kong
999077
China

Phone +852 3411–5127
Email hkbu_rec@hkbu.edu.hk
Website http://buwww.hkbu.edu.hk/eng/main/index.jsp
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/0145fw131

Funders

Funder type

Other

Investigator initiated and funded

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date28/07/2021
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryData sharing statement to be made available at a later date
Publication and dissemination planPlanned publication in a high-impact peer-reviewed journal which would share participant-level data as required by the WHO and ICMJE.
IPD sharing planThe current data sharing plans for this study are unknown and will be available at a later date.

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Protocol file 26/02/2021 No No
Basic results 10/01/2022 10/01/2022 No No
Results article 30/11/2022 06/12/2022 Yes No
Results article Effects and mechanisms 23/12/2022 04/06/2024 Yes No

Additional files

ISRCTN16205138_PROTOCOL.pdf
uploaded 26/02/2021
39512 BasicResults 10Jan2022.pdf

Editorial Notes

04/06/2024: Publication reference added.
06/12/2022: Publication reference added.
10/01/2022: The basic results have been uploaded as an additional file.
02/09/2021: The following changes have been made:
1. The overall trial end date has been changed from 01/09/2021 to 01/07/2021 and the plain English summary has been updated to reflect this change.
2. The intention to publish date has been changed from 01/09/2022 to 28/07/2021.
18/05/2021: The total final enrolment was changed from 140 to 100.
04/05/2021: The final enrolment number has been added.
26/02/2021: Uploaded protocol (not peer reviewed) Version n/a, 26 February 2021.
25/02/2021: Trial’s existence confirmed by Research Ethics Committee of Hong Kong Baptist University