Can Applying the Science of Habit Formation to Contemplative Practice Improve Outcomes

NCT ID: NCT05866718

Last Updated: 2025-12-31

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

497 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-06-14

Study Completion Date

2024-09-22

Brief Summary

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In the present study, the investigators will conduct a confirmatory efficacy trial to test whether improving practice automaticity (i.e., habit formation) of self-compassionate touch improves outcomes in the predicted direction. Adults (n=440, including 20% for attrition) will be randomly assigned to: (1) the self-compassionate touch intervention plus habit formation tools ("SCT+HABITS") versus (2) the self-compassionate touch intervention alone ("SCT"). The investigators will conduct assessments at baseline, 3-month follow-up, and 6-month follow-up. The SCT+HABITS condition will be used to evaluate whether providing habit formation tools results in superior effects to SCT. The intervention will be delivered entirely online.

Detailed Description

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Specific Aim 1: Evaluate whether SCT+HABITS shows more practice frequency and practice automaticity from baseline to 3-month, and to 6-month follow-up compared to the SCT. Hypothesis 1. The SCT+HABITS group will show greater increases in practice frequency and practice automaticity than SCT from baseline to 3-month, and to 6-month follow-up.

Specific Aim 2: Determine whether SCT+HABITS, relative to SCT, will experience increased self-compassion and self-compassion automaticity, and reduced stress and psychopathology. Hypothesis 2. SCT+HABITS will promote greater increases in self-compassion and self-compassion automaticity, and greater reductions in stress and psychopathology from baseline to 3-month, to 6-month follow-up.

Specific Aim 3: Assess whether greater baseline to 3-month follow-up increases in practice automaticity mediate the association between SCT+HABITS and baseline to 6-month follow-up increases in (a) self-compassion and (b) self-compassion automaticity, as well as reductions in (c) stress and (d) psychopathology. Hypothesis 3. Greater baseline to 3-month follow-up increases in practice automaticity will mediate the association between the SCT+HABITS group and baseline to 6-month follow-up increases in (a) self-compassion and (b) self-compassion automaticity, as well as reductions in (c) stress and (d) psychopathology.

Exploratory Aim: Evaluate the barriers, facilitators, and acceptability of SCT+HABITS and SCT alone. This aim will be addressed via qualitative analyses to characterize barriers and facilitators to habit formation, and the proportion of participants in each condition (SCT+HABITS and SCT alone) who noted each type of barrier and facilitator. Participants will self-report on acceptability and feasibility via questionnaire. Then, the investigators will examine whether SCT+HABITS and SCT alone will meet or exceed the established criteria for acceptability and feasibility.

Conditions

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Psychopathology

Keywords

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Self-Compassion Single-Session Intervention Transdiagnostic Intervention Habits Habit Formation Micropractice Contemplative Micropractice Contemplative Practice Self-Compassionate Touch Compassion

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Participants will be randomized to the SCT or SCT+HABITS using the randomizer elements in Qualtrics.
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants
Study participants will not be made aware that there are two experimental conditions. All will be told that they are receiving the intervention.

Study Groups

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Self-Compassionate Touch Intervention Alone

All participants will receive the self-compassion intervention after completing their baseline assessment, which will contain the same instructions used in the initial study (see NCT05199779).

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Self-Compassionate Touch Intervention

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be taught the micropractice (\<20-second/day personal practice) via video recording.

Self-Compassionate Touch Intervention Plus Habit Formation Tools

SCT+HABITS participants will receive the abovementioned procedures, and will also receive evidence-based tools for forming habits.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Self-Compassionate Touch Intervention

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be taught the micropractice (\<20-second/day personal practice) via video recording.

Habit Formation Tools

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive evidence-based tools for promoting habit-formation.

Interventions

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Self-Compassionate Touch Intervention

Participants will be taught the micropractice (\<20-second/day personal practice) via video recording.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Habit Formation Tools

Participants will receive evidence-based tools for promoting habit-formation.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* 18 years of age or older.
* English language proficiency.
* Able and willing to give informed consent.
* Resides in the United States of America

Exclusion Criteria

* Does not have email address or access to email.
* Does not personally own a smartphone device
* Not able/willing to participate in and/or complete the baseline assessments
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Mind and Life Institute, Hadley, Massachusetts

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of California, Berkeley

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Eli S Susman

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of California, Berkeley

Locations

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University of California at Berkeley

Berkeley, California, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Other Identifiers

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2021-12-14924-2

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id