scholarly journals An Internet-Based Intervention to Alleviate Stress During Social Isolation With Guided Relaxation and Meditation: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

10.2196/19236 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. e19236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Maria Francesca Pizzoli ◽  
Chiara Marzorati ◽  
Davide Mazzoni ◽  
Gabriella Pravettoni
Keyword(s):  
Social Isolation ◽  
Emotional State ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological State ◽  
Natural Sounds ◽  
Subjective Experiences ◽  
Body Scan ◽  
Psychomotor Activation ◽  
Internet Based Intervention

Background Psychophysiological stress and decreased well-being are relevant issues during prolonged social isolation periods. Relaxation practices may represent helpful exercises to cope with anxiety and stressful sensations. Objective The aim of this research protocol is to test whether remote relaxation practices such as natural sounds, deep respiration, and body scan meditation promote relaxation and improved emotional state and reduce psychomotor activation and the preoccupation related to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods The study population will consist of 3 experimental groups that will randomly receive one of 3 internet-based audio clips containing a single session of guided breathing exercise, guided body scan exercise, or natural sounds. The participants will listen to the fully automated audio clip for 7 minutes and complete pre-post self-assessment scales on their perceived relaxation, psychomotor activation, level of worry associated with COVID-19, and emotional state. At the end of the session, the participants will also be asked to provide qualitative reports on their subjective experiences. Results Analyses will be performed to test the differences in the efficacy of the different audio clips in an internet-based intervention on 252 participants (84 per group), investigating whether natural sounds or remote guided practices such as deep respiration and body scan meditation positively enhance the participants’ perceived psychological state. Conclusions The study will provide information on if and to what extent guided practices can help in reducing psychological side effects related to social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/19236

scholarly journals An Internet-Based Intervention to Alleviate Stress During Social Isolation With Guided Relaxation and Meditation: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Maria Francesca Pizzoli ◽  
Chiara Marzorati ◽  
Davide Mazzoni ◽  
Gabriella Pravettoni
Keyword(s):  
Social Isolation ◽  
Emotional State ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological State ◽  
Natural Sounds ◽  
Subjective Experiences ◽  
Body Scan ◽  
Psychomotor Activation ◽  
Internet Based Intervention

BACKGROUND Psychophysiological stress and decreased well-being are relevant issues during prolonged social isolation periods. Relaxation practices may represent helpful exercises to cope with anxiety and stressful sensations. OBJECTIVE The aim of this research protocol is to test whether remote relaxation practices such as natural sounds, deep respiration, and body scan meditation promote relaxation and improved emotional state and reduce psychomotor activation and the preoccupation related to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS The study population will consist of 3 experimental groups that will randomly receive one of 3 internet-based audio clips containing a single session of guided breathing exercise, guided body scan exercise, or natural sounds. The participants will listen to the fully automated audio clip for 7 minutes and complete pre-post self-assessment scales on their perceived relaxation, psychomotor activation, level of worry associated with COVID-19, and emotional state. At the end of the session, the participants will also be asked to provide qualitative reports on their subjective experiences. RESULTS Analyses will be performed to test the differences in the efficacy of the different audio clips in an internet-based intervention on 252 participants (84 per group), investigating whether natural sounds or remote guided practices such as deep respiration and body scan meditation positively enhance the participants’ perceived psychological state. CONCLUSIONS The study will provide information on if and to what extent guided practices can help in reducing psychological side effects related to social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT PRR1-10.2196/19236

scholarly journals Web-Based Relaxation Intervention for Stress During Social Isolation: Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Francesca Maria Pizzoli ◽  
Chiara Marzorati ◽  
Davide Mazzoni ◽  
Gabriella Pravettoni
Keyword(s):  
Social Isolation ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Emotional State ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Randomized Study ◽  
Natural Sounds ◽  
Body Scan ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Psychomotor Activation

BACKGROUND Relaxation practices might be helpful exercises for coping with anxiety and stressful sensations. They may be of particular utility when used in web-based interventions during periods of social isolation. OBJECTIVE This randomized study aimed to test whether web-based relaxation practices like natural sounds, deep respiration, and body scans can promote relaxation and a positive emotional state, and reduce psychomotor activation and preoccupation related to the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions. Each condition was characterized by a single online session of a guided square breathing exercise, a guided body scan exercise, or natural sounds. The participants listened to one of the fully automated audio clips for 7 minutes and pre-post completed self-assessed scales on perceived relaxation, psychomotor activation, level of preoccupation associated with COVID-19, and emotional state. At the end of the session, qualitative reports on subjective experience were also collected. RESULTS Overall, 294 participants completed 75% of the survey and 240 completed the entire survey as well as one of three randomly assigned interventions. Perceived relaxation, psychomotor activation/stress, and preoccupation related to COVID-19 showed a positive improvement after participants listened to the audio clips. The same pattern was observed for the valence and perceived dominance of the emotional state. The square breathing and body scan exercises yielded superior results compared to natural sounds in lowering perceived stress. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a novel insight that can guide the development of future low-cost web-based interventions to reduce preoccupation and stress in the general population. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/19236

scholarly journals Self-blinding citizen science to explore psychedelic microdosing

eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Balázs Szigeti ◽  
Laura Kartner ◽  
Allan Blemings ◽  
Fernando Rosas ◽  
Amanda Feilding ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
Clinical Supervision ◽  
Placebo Effect ◽  
Emotional State ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Placebo Control ◽  
Dose Period ◽  
Psychedelic Drugs ◽  
Acute Anxiety

Microdosing is the practice of regularly using low doses of psychedelic drugs. Anecdotal reports suggest that microdosing enhances well-being and cognition; however, such accounts are potentially biased by the placebo effect. This study used a ‘self-blinding’ citizen science initiative, where participants were given online instructions on how to incorporate placebo control into their microdosing routine without clinical supervision. The study was completed by 191 participants, making it the largest placebo-controlled trial on psychedelics to-date. All psychological outcomes improved significantly from baseline to after the 4 weeks long dose period for the microdose group; however, the placebo group also improved and no significant between-groups differences were observed. Acute (emotional state, drug intensity, mood, energy, and creativity) and post-acute (anxiety) scales showed small, but significant microdose vs. placebo differences; however, these results can be explained by participants breaking blind. The findings suggest that anecdotal benefits of microdosing can be explained by the placebo effect.

scholarly journals ADVERSITY QUOTIENT: SURVIVING RATHER THAN GIVING UP

2021 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 5942-5947
Author(s):  
Dr. Nidhi Chadha
Keyword(s):  
Emotional State ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological State ◽  
Financial Instability ◽  
Psychological Issue ◽  
Negative Experience ◽  
Loved One ◽  
Sudden Loss ◽  
Bounce Back

Every day, people experience different adversities in life. They often face specific events that may challenge their psychological stability as individuals. Such adversities may be in the form of sudden loss of a loved one, loss of job, financial instability, strained relationships, career insecurities and other events that may leave a great impact not just on the temporary emotional state of an individual but also, may affect the individual’s long-term psychological state. Nevertheless, each of us has the God-given inner ability to face and solve such terrible situations to advantage in life. Despite exposures to stress, some people can withstand, overcome, and be strengthened and successful by the negative experience. In the present times, this pertinent psychological issue can be addressed as ‘Adversity Quotient (AQ) i.e. the science of human resilience’. People who successfully apply AQ in their life will perform optimally in difficulties, challenges- small or big- that confront them every day. This research paper tries to explore how individuals deal with such adversities and are able to bounce back as stronger and wiser amidst certain events in their life that brought tremendous change to their psychological well-being. Also, this research endeavors to provide an insight to educators, counsellors, parents and students how to surmount life adversities and survive rather than giving up in life.

scholarly journals Physiotherapy and Physical Activity as Factors Improving the Psychological State of Patients With Cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewelina Zyzniewska-Banaszak ◽  
Jolanta Kucharska-Mazur ◽  
Aleksandra Mazur
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Emotional State ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological State ◽  
Oncological Treatment ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Fatigue Syndrome

Physiotherapy in oncology is a process closely related to cancer treatment methods. Rehabilitation is based on physical activity in various forms involving the musculoskeletal system but also affects the emotional state. Physical activity influences physical and psychological well-being of people undergoing oncological treatment, in the course of which the most common psychiatric disorders are depression, substance use disorder, sleep disorders, fatigue syndrome, resulting in worsening of the quality of life. Difficulties in implementing physical exercise in cancer patients pose a challenge to treatment teams.

scholarly journals REMOTION Blended Transdiagnostic Intervention for Symptom Reduction and Improvement of Emotion Regulation in an Outpatient Psychotherapeutic Setting: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Luisa Bielinski ◽  
Tobias Krieger ◽  
Franz Moggi ◽  
Leonie Trimpop ◽  
Ulrike Willutzki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Brief Symptom Inventory ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Blended Treatment ◽  
Internet Based Intervention ◽  
Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND Emotion regulation has been identified as an important transdiagnostic factor relevant to the treatment of mental health disorders. Many empirically validated psychotherapeutic treatments incorporate elements targeting emotion regulation. Most of these treatment approaches are conceptualized as standard face-to-face treatments not as blended treatments, which include an internet-based intervention. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to examine, for the first time, a new internet-based intervention—REMOTION—that will be provided transdiagnostically, as an add-on to psychotherapy, to provide a blended treatment format. METHODS A total of 70 participants will be assigned (1:1 allocation ratio) to either the intervention group (REMOTION + psychotherapy) or the treatment-as-usual group that receives psychotherapy alone. To maximize external validity, a typical outpatient treatment sample of patients diagnosed with a range of disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders, and adjustment disorder will be recruited from a university outpatient clinic. Patients with bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, or acute suicidality will be excluded from the study. The feasibility and potential effectiveness of the intervention will be examined by assessing data at baseline, 6 weeks (post), and 12 weeks (follow-up). The primary outcome is general symptom severity, assessed with the Brief Symptom Inventory. Secondary outcomes are emotion regulation, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, health related quality of life, well-being, and a variety of feasibility parameters. Quantitative data will be analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. RESULTS Participant recruitment and data collection started in February 2020, and as of November 2020, are ongoing. Results for the study are expected in 2022. CONCLUSIONS This pilot randomized controlled trial will inform future studies using transdiagnostic blended treatment. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04262726; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04262726 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/20936

scholarly journals REMOTION Blended Transdiagnostic Intervention for Symptom Reduction and Improvement of Emotion Regulation in an Outpatient Psychotherapeutic Setting: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

10.2196/20936 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. e20936
Author(s):  
Laura Luisa Bielinski ◽  
Tobias Krieger ◽  
Franz Moggi ◽  
Leonie Trimpop ◽  
Ulrike Willutzki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Brief Symptom Inventory ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Blended Treatment ◽  
Internet Based Intervention ◽  
Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Emotion regulation has been identified as an important transdiagnostic factor relevant to the treatment of mental health disorders. Many empirically validated psychotherapeutic treatments incorporate elements targeting emotion regulation. Most of these treatment approaches are conceptualized as standard face-to-face treatments not as blended treatments, which include an internet-based intervention. Objective The aim of this study is to examine, for the first time, a new internet-based intervention—REMOTION—that will be provided transdiagnostically, as an add-on to psychotherapy, to provide a blended treatment format. Methods A total of 70 participants will be assigned (1:1 allocation ratio) to either the intervention group (REMOTION + psychotherapy) or the treatment-as-usual group that receives psychotherapy alone. To maximize external validity, a typical outpatient treatment sample of patients diagnosed with a range of disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders, and adjustment disorder will be recruited from a university outpatient clinic. Patients with bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, or acute suicidality will be excluded from the study. The feasibility and potential effectiveness of the intervention will be examined by assessing data at baseline, 6 weeks (post), and 12 weeks (follow-up). The primary outcome is general symptom severity, assessed with the Brief Symptom Inventory. Secondary outcomes are emotion regulation, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, health related quality of life, well-being, and a variety of feasibility parameters. Quantitative data will be analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. Results Participant recruitment and data collection started in February 2020, and as of November 2020, are ongoing. Results for the study are expected in 2022. Conclusions This pilot randomized controlled trial will inform future studies using transdiagnostic blended treatment. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04262726; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04262726 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/20936

scholarly journals Psychological aspects of glycemic control in young patients with type 1 diabetes

2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oleg Gennad'evich Motovilin ◽  
Yulia Andreevna Shishkova ◽  
Sergey Ivanovich Divisenko ◽  
Ekaterina Andreevna Andrianova ◽  
Elena Viktorovna Surkova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Type 1 Diabetes ◽  
Glycemic Control ◽  
Hba1c Level ◽  
Emotional State ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Adaptation ◽  
The Other ◽  
Psychological Status ◽  
Psychological State

Aim. To elucidate the relationship between glycemic control (assessed by the level of HbA1c) and psychological status of the patients. Materials and methods. The study included 115 patients with type 1 diabetes aged 13-27 years. The following tests were used to assess the psychological statusof the patients status (emotional state, social relations, attitude toward disease): State-trait-anxiety Inventory (Spielberger C.D., Hanin Y.L), Center for EpidemiologicStudies Depression Scale (CES-D), Social ajustment scale by A.K. Osnizkiy based on Q-Sort Adjustment Scale developed by R. Dymond andC.R. Rogers (1954), Lusher colour test , Colour attitudes test, A.M. Etkind original technique, method for the assessment of attitude toward disease developedin V.M. Bekhterev Research Psychoneurologic Institute, Sankt-Peterburg. The patients were allocated to 3 groups differing in terms of 33.3% percentile ofHbA1c levels. Results. Patients with good glycemic control (mean HbA1c level 7.4%) show the lowest level of social adaptation and emotional well-being. The reason for thisphenomenon is the excessive focus of patient on the disease and narrow scope of interests, which suggest psychological dependence on diabetes. Patients withpoor glycemic control (mean HbA1c level 13.1%) also experience emotional discomfort due to increased anxiety. Despite the fact they exhibit a higher degreeof social adaptation than the patients of the above group, the main concern is the low level of communicative autonomy and the feeling of being unable to copewith the disease. Such personal characteristics also create a psychological dependence on diabetes, although of a different type than in the first group of patients.Patients with average glycemic control (mean HbA1c level 9.5%) in the sample have the most favorable psychological state in comparison with the other twogroups. Their emotional state and social adaptation are significantly better than in the other two groups. These patients tend to psychological autonomy and independenceand maintain multifaceted life motivation in terms of diabetes. They perceive the disease as a given, some life condition that allows to maintaina positive psychological state, high daily activity, not to feel overwhelmed with diabetes and at the same time pay attention to diabetes self-management evennot quite sufficient.Conclusions. Glycemic control and psychological status in young adults does not coincide with each other, although there is a close relationship among them.Attitude toward the disease is the most important mediator of this relationship. Professional psychological help and educational interventions designed to developskills of the practical management of diabetes may contribute to improvement of metabolic control, psychological well-being and social adjustment of patients.

An influence of social isolation on the level of physical activity as well as on well-being and mental state of people during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic

2019 ◽  
Vol 129 (4) ◽  
pp. 127-131
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Parfin ◽  
Krystian Wdowiak ◽  
Marzena Furtak-Niczyporuk ◽  
Jolanta Herda
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Population Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
The Impact

AbstractIntroduction. The COVID-19 is the name of an infectious disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2). It was first diagnosed in December 2019 in patients in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The symptoms are dominated by features of respiratory tract infections, in some patients with a very severe course leading to respiratory failure and, in extreme cases to death. Due to the spread of the infection worldwide, the WHO declared a pandemic in March 2020.Aim. An investigation of the impact of social isolation introduced due to the coronavirus pandemic on selected aspects of life. The researchers focused on observing changes in habits related to physical activity and their connections with people’s subjective well-being and emotional state.Material and methods. The study was carried out within the international project of the group „IRG on COVID and exercise”. The research tool was a standardized questionnaire.Results. Based on the data collected and the analysis of the percentage results, it can be observed that the overwhelming majority of people taking up physical activity reported a better mood during the pandemic. However, statistical tests do not confirm these relationships due to the small sample size.Conclusions. Isolation favours physical activity. Future, in-depth studies, by enlarging the population group, are necessary to confirm the above observations.

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