Mind-Body Skills Groups for Mental Health in Incarcerated Individuals

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: The Center for Mind-Body Medicine

Disqualifiers: Conduct problems, Emotional instability, Mental instability, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 10

Duration: 10 weeks

104 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how a Mind-Body Skills Group program can improve mental health for people in prison. The program aims to boost resilience, decrease depression and anxiety, and enhance coping skills, purpose, and self-esteem. It also seeks to reduce aggression in men. The trial targets English-speaking individuals at specific correctional facilities who are not scheduled for release or transfer and can safely join group sessions. As an unphased trial, participants can contribute to innovative research that could significantly enhance mental health support in correctional facilities.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What prior data suggests that this Mind-Body Skills Group program is safe for incarcerated individuals?

Research has shown that activities like yoga and meditation can improve mental health by reducing stress and anxiety. Although specific safety data for people in prison is lacking, these mind-body practices are generally safe. They do not involve medications or medical procedures, so they typically have fewer side effects. Mind-body skills groups teach techniques and exercises to enhance mental well-being. Many participants report feeling more relaxed and in control afterward, suggesting that these groups are safe and pose little risk to those who join. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about Mind-Body Skills Groups for mental health in incarcerated individuals because this approach emphasizes self-regulation and personal empowerment, contrasting with traditional treatments like medication or cognitive-behavioral therapy. These groups integrate practices such as meditation, guided imagery, and biofeedback, which help participants manage stress and enhance emotional resilience. Unlike standard therapies that often focus on symptom control, Mind-Body Skills Groups aim to provide individuals with tools to actively engage in their mental well-being, fostering a sense of control and reducing reliance on external interventions.

What evidence suggests that Mind-Body Skills Groups are effective for mental health in incarcerated individuals?

Research has shown that Mind-Body Skills Groups, which participants in this trial will attend, can positively impact mental health. People in prison who joined these groups became more resilient, improving their ability to handle challenges. Studies also suggest that these groups might help reduce feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress. Participants often report feeling more capable of dealing with problems and finding more meaning and purpose in their lives. Additionally, women in these groups have experienced higher self-esteem, while men have shown less aggressive behavior. Overall, Mind-Body Skills Groups appear to enhance mental well-being among people in prison. ^{1 2 6 7 8}

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 English-speaking men and women incarcerated at specific Indiana prisons. Participants must be able to safely engage in the program without conduct issues, not have an upcoming release or security level change that would interfere with completion of the study, and should not have mental instability that could hinder participation.

Inclusion Criteria

English-speaking incarcerated individuals at the Indiana Women's Prison and at the Plainfield Correctional Facility

Exclusion Criteria

Having a sentence that will end, a scheduled change in security level to a minimum-security prison, or a scheduled work release before the study is completed

Having conduct problems and/or emotional or mental instability that prevents safe and effective participation in the mind-body medicine training program

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants attend 10 mind-body skills group sessions held once a week

10 weeks

10 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in resilience, coping self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, stress, meaning in life, aggression, purpose in life, and self-esteem

3 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Mind-Body Skills Groups

Trial Overview The study tests a Mind-Body Skills Group program's effectiveness on increasing resilience among inmates. It evaluates whether this intervention can reduce depression, anxiety, stress; improve coping skills; enhance life meaning and purpose; boost self-esteem in women; and lower aggression in men.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Behavioral: Mind-body Skills Groups Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

10 mind-body skills groups held once a week.

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+

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05948917

Mind-Body Skills Groups for Incarcerated Men and Women The goal of this study is to learn about the effectiveness of a Mind-Body Skills Group program for incarcerated participants.The main questions is aims to ...

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2468749925001073

Mental health and psychological well-being of incarcerated ... Peer-reviewed studies that investigated the mental health outcomes of prisoned individuals and were published in English between 2000 and 2024 ...

3. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-resilience-6-2023-947e2

Mind-Body Skills Groups for Mental Health in Incarcerated ... The goal of this study is to learn about the effectiveness of a Mind-Body Skills Group program for incarcerated participants.The main questions is aims to ...

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7113431/

Does in-prison physical and mental health impact recidivism? We find that better physical health, both in-prison and changes in health post-release, is related to a higher likelihood of recidivating.

5. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/396615882_Mental_health_and_psychological_well-being_of_incarcerated_individuals_A_Narrative_Review

Mental health and psychological well-being of incarcerated ... While improving the psychological health and well-being of individuals with serious mental illness can help reduce emotional distress and ...

6. paloaltou.edu paloaltou.edu/resources/business-of-practice-blog/unlocking-wellness-behind-the-bars

Unlocking Wellness Behind the Bars These professionals offer individual and group therapy sessions, crisis intervention, and ongoing support. Medication Management: Psychiatric medication is ...

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10557954/

The Promise of Mind-Body Interventions to Address ... Mind-body interventions, like yoga and meditation, show promise for improving mental health in youth, with potential to help prevent psychiatric illness.

8. walkercares.org walkercares.org/ourpages/auto/2025/3/12/51006005/Addressing%20the%20Needs%20of%20Incarcerated%20Parents%20Brief.pdf

Incarceration and Mental Health Offers in-prison parenting education, support for in-person and video visits to prisons and jails, community resources for affected children and.