Cultivating a transcendent mindset to improve mental health
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN26402641 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN26402641 |
- Submission date
- 16/03/2024
- Registration date
- 25/03/2024
- Last edited
- 25/03/2024
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
As research on self-transcendent emotions in psychology has progressed, it has become evident that these emotional states offer significant benefits for individual mental health.
This research delves into the physiological effects observed when individuals experience these emotions. Self-transcendent emotions encapsulate a range of feelings aimed at fostering a positive emotional and mental state where attention shifts from the self to the surroundings and beyond. This shift resembles a heightened awareness, providing a broader perspective on existence. Conversely, stress often induces tunnel vision and narrow focus. Studies indicate that self-transcendent emotions prompt a parasympathetic response in the nervous system, enhancing present moment awareness and promoting greater social engagement with the environment.
There appears to be a natural connection between these positive emotions and overall well-being, prompting this study to further explore by implementing a structured program and assessing its impact on the targeted group.
The research question posits whether individuals can cultivate self-transcendent emotions through specific techniques designed to enhance awareness and induce calmness. Additionally, the study aims to determine if these techniques effectively reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
Who can participate?
Participants aged 18-65 years from the adult psychiatric clinic in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden.
What does the study involve?
Twenty participants will undergo a 12-week program. Another twenty participants will access the program remotely through the 1177 digital platform, a tool in healthcare for remote self-help training, catering to those unable or unwilling to attend in-person sessions.
The program involves a structured regimen of simple circulatory movements, breathwork, awareness practices, and guided imagery exercises targeting specific self-transcendent emotions, such as compassion, gratitude, joy, and awe. Evaluations will occur through a series of survey questions administered four times throughout the program: at the outset, at weeks 5 and 9, and upon completion.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Benefits include equipping participants with tools to enhance well-being, potentially augmenting other treatment modalities. Additionally, offering the program remotely accommodates individuals averse to hospital attendance, thereby improving accessibility to treatments.
Where is the study run from?
Adult psychiatry Örnsköldsvik (Sweden)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
August 2023 to December 2024
Who is funding the study?
Adult psychiatry Örnsköldsvik (Sweden)
Who is the main contact?
Christina Andersson, christina.andersson@rvn.se
Contact information
Public, Scientific, Principal Investigator
Strömsön 153
Örnsköldsvik
89196
Sweden
 ORCID ID |
0000-0001-9076-0406 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +46 702750898 |
| christina.andersson@rvn.se |
Study information
| Study design | Interventional non randomized |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Interventional |
| Secondary study design | Non randomised study |
| Study setting(s) | Other |
| Study type | Treatment |
| Participant information sheet | Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a patient information sheet. |
| Scientific title | Cultivating a transcendent mindset to reduce mental ill-health. A pilot study in adult psychiatric patient. |
| Study objectives | Cultivating a transcendent mindset to reduce mental ill-health on adult psychiatric patients. Reducing signs of mental ill-health such as stress and anxiety as well as increasing levels of self transcendence emotions through observation/awareness practices, techniques that will help balance the nervous system and mental exercises involving compassion, joy, gratitude and awe. |
| Ethics approval(s) |
Submitted 09/01/2024, Swedish Ethical Review Authority (Box 2110, Uppsala, 75002, Sweden; +46 10-475 08 00; registrator@etikprovning.se), ref: 202400108-01 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Reducing mental ill-health in adult psychiatric patients |
| Intervention | The study has a within group design. The patients will follow a digitally delivered, 12 week program and the intervention will be given in a group format and also individually, so some patients can follow the program at home. The programs contain a regular routine of simple circulatory movements, breathwork combined with awareness practices and guided imagery exercises addressing a few specific self-transcendent emotions, in this case compassion, gratitude, joy and awe. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure | Measured at baseline, at 8 weeks (half-time) and at the end at 12 weeks: 1. Dispositional Positive Emotion Scale, DPES 2. The Gratitude Questionnaire – Six Item Form (GQ-6) 3. The Self-compassion Scale (SCS) 4. Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HAD-S) 5. The Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) 6. Single item stress question (SISQ) 7. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-16) 8. The functions of self-criticizing/attacking scale (FSCS) 9. Shirom-Melamed Burnout Questionnaire |
| Secondary outcome measures | There are no secondary outcome measures |
| Overall study start date | 01/08/2023 |
| Completion date | 01/12/2024 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Patient |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 18 Years |
| Upper age limit | 65 Years |
| Sex | Both |
| Target number of participants | 40 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. PTSD 2. ADHD 3. Bipolar 4. Depression 5. Anxiety 6. Autism 7. Burn-out, (symptoms associated with burnout include emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, impaired personal accomplishment, difficulty concentrating, impaired memory, irritability, fatigue, and cognitive problems) |
| Key exclusion criteria | 1. Acute suicidal 2. Difficulties understanding Swedish language |
| Date of first enrolment | 26/03/2024 |
| Date of final enrolment | 30/04/2024 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Sweden
Study participating centre
Örnsköldsvik
89134
Sweden
Sponsor information
Hospital/treatment centre
Storgatan 62
Örnsköldsvik
89145
Sweden
| Phone | +46 660-89726 |
|---|---|
| fb.psykmottagningen.ornskoldsvik@rvn.se | |
| Website | https://www.1177.se |
Funders
Funder type
Hospital/treatment centre
No information available
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | 15/01/2025 |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | Yes |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Available on request |
| Publication and dissemination plan | Planned publication in a high-impact peer-reviewed journal. |
| IPD sharing plan | The dataset generated during and/or analysed during the current study will be available upon request from christina andersson email: christina.andersson@rvn.se |
Editorial Notes
25/03/2024: Trial's existence confirmed by Swedish Ethical Review Authority.
