Mind-Body Medicine Training for Healthy Subjects

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: The Center for Mind-Body Medicine

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 10

60 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a mind-body medicine training program on parole services staff. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Will participation in the training increase resilience; empathy; the belief that one can cope with difficult situations; and decrease symptoms of depression, stress, anxiety, and burnout? * What is the personal and professional impact of the training program? Sixty staff members of the Indiana Department of Correction Parole Services Division will do the following: * Attend an initial 4-day mind-body medicine training. Mind-body techniques taught in the training include: meditation; a breathing exercise; biofeedback; guided imagery; expressing oneself through drawings and writing; movement to reduce stress; and family trees to explore family dynamics. * Attend a 2-day practicum. The 2-day practicum will teach staff the ways in which they can share the skills they have learned one-on-one with parolees and families of parolees. * Attend 4 biweekly sessions of 2-hour group consultation sessions. The consultations will support the use of the mind-body skills with the parolees. Participants will also do the following: * Fill out standardized questionnaires online before and after the training program in order to measure changes in resilience; empathy; the belief that one can cope with difficult situations; and symptoms of depression, stress, anxiety, and burnout. * Fill out an additional online questionnaire three months after the consultation sessions to determine how trainees are using the mind-body skills in their work. * Participate in an online group interview to determine how trainees are using the skills and how the training has affected them personally and professionally.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications. It seems focused on mind-body training rather than medication use.

Is Mind-Body Medicine Training generally safe for humans?

Mind-Body Medicine (MBM) interventions, which include practices like yoga and meditation, are well-established and have been shown to have positive effects on well-being without significant safety concerns. They are used in various healthcare systems and are considered safe for promoting health and self-care. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How is the Mind-Body Medicine Training Program treatment different from other treatments?

The Mind-Body Medicine Training Program is unique because it focuses on the interaction between the mind and body to promote health through techniques like relaxation, stress regulation, and nutrition. Unlike traditional treatments that may focus solely on physical symptoms, this program emphasizes self-healing and self-care by enhancing individual resilience and reducing stress. ^{1 3 4 6 7}

What data supports the effectiveness of the Mind-Body Medicine Training Program treatment?

Research shows that mind-body medicine interventions can help reduce pain, stress, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. They have also been associated with improved immune system outcomes and decreased burnout in healthcare professionals. ^{7 8 9 10 11}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Julie K Staples, PhD

Principal Investigator

The Center for Mind-Body Medicine

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for staff members of the Indiana Department of Correction Parole Services Division. It's designed to help them manage stress, improve resilience and empathy, and reduce burnout through a mind-body medicine training program.

Inclusion Criteria

Being a staff member of the Division of Parole Services

English Speaking

I can fully participate in all training and group activities.

Exclusion Criteria

I am able to fully participate in the training and small group activities.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2 weeks

Mind-Body Medicine Training

Participants attend an initial 4-day mind-body medicine training, learning techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises, and biofeedback.

1 week

4 days (in-person)

Practicum

Participants attend a 2-day practicum to learn how to share mind-body skills with parolees and their families.

1 week

2 days (in-person)

Group Consultation Sessions

Participants attend 4 biweekly 2-hour group consultation sessions to support the use of mind-body skills.

8 weeks

4 sessions (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants fill out an online questionnaire and participate in a group interview to assess the use and impact of mind-body skills.

3 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Mind-Body Medicine Training Program

Trial Overview The study tests a mind-body medicine training program that includes meditation, breathing exercises, biofeedback, guided imagery, creative expression, movement exercises, and family dynamics exploration. The impact on personal and professional life will be evaluated.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Mind-Body MedicineTraining/Practicum/Group Consultation Sessions Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The only arm is a mind-body medicine training program for parole staff. The training program consists of 3 parts: 1. An initial 4-day training; 2. A 2-day practicum; and 3. Four group consultation sessions. .

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

The Center for Mind-Body Medicine

Lead Sponsor

Trials

12

Recruited

1,200+

Herbert Simon Family Foundation

Collaborator

Trials

2

Recruited

160+

Published Research Related to This Trial

A pilot study involving 52 participants with chronic health conditions showed that mind-body medicine (MBM) interventions led to significant improvements in mental health, particularly in depression scores (PHQ-9) with a large effect size (g=0.807).

The MBM collaborative visits not only improved participants' ability to cope with stress and their sense of control over their health but also provided a valuable training experience for medical learners, enhancing their professional satisfaction.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Do as I Do: Physician- and Learner-Led Mind-Body Medicine Group Visits. Moir, E., Yang, JO., Yao, J., et al.[2022]

The Mind-Body Medicine program, involving 239 active duty service members and veterans over 7 weeks, showed significant improvements in perceived stress, pain severity, and various psychological symptoms, indicating its effectiveness in enhancing mental and physical health.

Participants reported high satisfaction with the program, and both groups (those with high stress and those with chronic pain) experienced notable benefits, suggesting that mind-body interventions can be valuable in military healthcare settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A mind-body program for pain and stress management in active duty service members and veterans. Millegan, J., Denninger, JW., Bui, E., et al.[2021]

Mind-body medicine (MBM) leverages the connection between the brain, mind, body, and behavior to promote health, focusing on techniques like exercise, relaxation, and nutrition, and is well-established in the US healthcare system.

MBM is effective in addressing chronic lifestyle-related diseases by enhancing individual resilience and reducing stress, and it operates on principles similar to the placebo effect, making it a valuable approach for self-healing and self-care.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Self-healing in health-care: Using the example of mind-body medicine]. Esch, T.[2020]

Citations

1. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mind-Body Medicine and Immune System Outcomes: A Systematic Review. [2021]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparing mind-body wellness interventions for older adults with chronic illness: classroom versus home instruction. [2019]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Do as I Do: Physician- and Learner-Led Mind-Body Medicine Group Visits. [2022]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A mind-body program for pain and stress management in active duty service members and veterans. [2021]

5. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mind-body-medicine and comprehensive lifestyle-modification in patients with Crohn's disease-Feasibility of a randomized controlled trial under pandemic circumstances. [2022]

6. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Self-healing in health-care: Using the example of mind-body medicine]. [2020]

7. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Who Benefits Most? Interactions between Personality Traits and Outcomes of Four Incremental Meditation and Yoga Treatments. [2022]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of a University-Wide Interdisciplinary Mind-Body Skills Program on Student Mental and Emotional Well-Being. [2022]

9. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Mind-body medicine as a part of German integrative medicine]. [2016]

10. Ireland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exercise Compared to Mindfulness for Physical and Mental Wellbeing in Medical Students. [2022]

11. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Reducing Stress and Burnout in Military Healthcare Professionals Through Mind-Body Medicine: A Pilot Program. [2023]