MedTrace Logo

MBSR Mechanisms in GAD

NCT05064813 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 150

Last updated 2026-02-06

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The purpose of this study is to understand the neural mechanisms that drive response to MBSR compared to stress education in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and to examine the degree to which sex differences in MBSR response are explained by sex differences in these mechanisms. A total of 150 eligible participants with a primary diagnosis of GAD will be randomized to either an 8-week group MBSR or stress education program. The study will include preliminary screening, experimental visits, including fMRI, group intervention visits, and assessments at baseline, endpoint, and 3-month follow-up.

Conditions

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction MBSR Intervention

MBSR is an 8-week group-based course developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn (1990) and colleagues at the University of Massachusetts' Center for Mindfulness. Weekly 2.5 hour long classes are given once a week, as well as one day-long weekend class. The classes instruct participants in the theory and practice of several forms of mindfulness meditation, breathing awareness, and mindfulness stretching exercises. Teaching of the theory of mindfulness and experiential practice are both utilized during weekly classes and at-home CD-guided practice sessions.

BEHAVIORAL

Stress Education Control Condition (SE)

Stress Education (SE) was designed to provide an active comparator condition that does not include overlapping active components of mindfulness meditation with MBSR. It will also be delivered over 8-weekly, in-person, 2.5 hour group sessions of the same size (n=4 to 6). In SE, participants receive extensive information about stress and health, but will not receive any MBSR or other mind-body training. Instead, stress relevant psycho-educational information will be taught.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Principal Investigators

  • Naomi Simon, MD · NYU Langone Health

  • Candace Raio, PhD · NYU Langone Health

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
50 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2021-11-18
Primary Completion
2026-03-31
Completion
2026-06-30

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Companies

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT05064813 on ClinicalTrials.gov