Validating Promoted Spiritual Experience

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

16 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-01-20

Study Completion Date

2023-10-01

Brief Summary

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This pilot study of 16 patients will demonstrate a specific psychologically focused intervention to affect a spiritual aspect of psychological health and will measure (1) its effects on general distress, depression, anxiety and well-being; (2) healing and psychological impact beyond that accounted by usual personality factors; (3) its effect in correlation to measures of spirituality; (4) with neuroimaging, possible biological changes associated with this intervention.

A. Objectives

1. Pilot a psychological intervention that impacts a "spiritual" level.
2. Measure efficacy improving well-being beyond explanation by usual personality factors.
3. Identify biological changes with neuroimaging.

B. Hypotheses / Research Question(s) Studies demonstrate a healing effect beyond usual psychological and medical health to include a "spiritual" aspect with added experience of wholeness and well-being. Benefits are beyond just symptom relief but methods to achieve this are not well-defined. This study will provide a specific intervention and measure psychological and neuroimaging effects of the intervention.

Hypotheses of Specific Results (see Study Instruments below)

1. DASS-21-shows significant decrease in depression, anxiety and overall stress.
2. PCL-5 - shows decrease 5-10 points (5 points=response, 10 points=clinically meaningful).
3. NIH-HEALS - shows significant increase overall and in all 3 factors.
4. WEMWBS - shows increase of greater than 3 points, considered "meaningful change."
5. Contingencies of Self-Worth Scale-shows significant global increase, positively correlated with increase in Mysticism Scale scores with post-intervention total above standardized mean.
6. A relevant portion of outcome improvement on DASS-21, NIH-HEALS, and ASPIRES will NOT be accountable by personality factors measured by NEO-FFI-3.
7. ASPIRES-shows significant increase in transcendence, no change in religious sentiments.
8. Neuroimaging-shows reduced activity in SPL, TPJ, MPFC, and IPL (see Research Significance).

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Detailed Description

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Following IRB approval, recruit 16 patients from a male residential addiction treatment program for a 10-session intervention. 8 subjects will be given pre and post intervention psychological assessments and pre and post fMRIs. Another 8 subjects will serve as a control group and will receive the pre and post (without intervention) psychological assessments at the same time as the previous group and will then be the next 8 subjects to receive the intervention after completion of the first cohort. They will have MRIs before their intervention and post-intervention, thus serving as their own control group. The behavioral intervention occurs with a beginning 3 hour group introduction done by Dr. Chatlos followed by 9 weekly 1 ½ hour group sessions. The subjects' intervention will be recorded for further manual development.

The Intervention is a CBT- based psychotherapeutic process that occurs in a group setting with two cohorts of 8 subjects each. It will occur in an introductory 3-hour session followed by 9 weekly 1 ½ hour sessions. In this process, self-worth (self-confidence, self-esteem, self-competence) and dignity (reason, compassion, courage) as operationally defined are strengthened through an interpersonal, psychological process including mindful self-awareness training, attitude transformation with self-compassion, forgiveness, and self-acceptance, and opens to a new level of awareness. This awareness opens to spiritual / numinous features of connectedness, vitality, wholeness, meaning, and serenity that are predicted to be associated with greater well-being and relief of anxiety and depression symptoms.

Conditions

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Addiction Psychiatric Disorder

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

SEQUENTIAL

Two cohorts of 8 subjects each will receive psychological assessments initially.

First cohort will have brain scan followed by 9 week intervention and post-intervention repeat scan and repeat assessments.

2nd cohort serves as its own control, will receive repeat assessments and brain scan after Cohort 1 is done, and again after 9 week intervention.

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Cohort 1

8 subjects get psychological assessments and fMRI brain scan followed by 9 week psychotherapeutic intervention. With intervention completion, psychological assessments and fMRI scan are repeated.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Spiritual Intervention

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The Intervention is a CBT- based psychotherapeutic process that occurs in a group setting with two cohorts of 8 subjects each. It will occur in an introductory 3-hour session followed by 9 weekly 1 ½ hour sessions. In this process, self-worth (self-confidence, self-esteem, self-competence) and dignity (reason, compassion, courage) as operationally defined are strengthened through an interpersonal, psychological process including mindful self-awareness training, attitude transformation with self-compassion, forgiveness, and self-acceptance, and opens to a new level of awareness. This awareness opens to spiritual / numinous features of connectedness, vitality, wholeness, meaning, and serenity that are predicted to be associated with greater well-being and relief of anxiety and depression symptoms.

Cohort 2

8 subjects get psychological assessments at same time as Cohort 1, but do not receive the intervention at that time - serving as control group.

When Cohort 1 is completed, Cohort 2 will repeat psychological assessments, receive fMRI scan, then receive same 9 week intervention as Cohort 1, followed by repeat psychological assessments and fMRI scan.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Spiritual Intervention

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The Intervention is a CBT- based psychotherapeutic process that occurs in a group setting with two cohorts of 8 subjects each. It will occur in an introductory 3-hour session followed by 9 weekly 1 ½ hour sessions. In this process, self-worth (self-confidence, self-esteem, self-competence) and dignity (reason, compassion, courage) as operationally defined are strengthened through an interpersonal, psychological process including mindful self-awareness training, attitude transformation with self-compassion, forgiveness, and self-acceptance, and opens to a new level of awareness. This awareness opens to spiritual / numinous features of connectedness, vitality, wholeness, meaning, and serenity that are predicted to be associated with greater well-being and relief of anxiety and depression symptoms.

Interventions

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Spiritual Intervention

The Intervention is a CBT- based psychotherapeutic process that occurs in a group setting with two cohorts of 8 subjects each. It will occur in an introductory 3-hour session followed by 9 weekly 1 ½ hour sessions. In this process, self-worth (self-confidence, self-esteem, self-competence) and dignity (reason, compassion, courage) as operationally defined are strengthened through an interpersonal, psychological process including mindful self-awareness training, attitude transformation with self-compassion, forgiveness, and self-acceptance, and opens to a new level of awareness. This awareness opens to spiritual / numinous features of connectedness, vitality, wholeness, meaning, and serenity that are predicted to be associated with greater well-being and relief of anxiety and depression symptoms.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Recently admitted (within 3 months) male patients of a residential addiction treatment program that has a 6 month average duration.
* Age 21 or older.
* Volunteer for the study after a brief introduction.