Simulated Emergency Department Stress for Stress Management
Trial Summary
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
Yes, you will need to stop taking any daily medications to participate in this trial.
What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Standard social stress task, Stressful experience in the ED?
The research suggests that social support during stressful situations in the emergency department can influence stress levels, but not always positively. Anxiety-provoking social support was linked to increased stress symptoms later, indicating that the type of social interaction during stress is important.12345
Is simulated emergency department stress generally safe for humans?
How does the Simulated Emergency Department Stress treatment differ from other stress management treatments?
This treatment is unique because it uses stress exposure simulation (SES) to help individuals recognize and manage stress responses in a controlled, emergency department-like environment. Unlike traditional stress management techniques, this approach specifically recreates high-stress scenarios to train participants in handling stress effectively.12568
What is the purpose of this trial?
Stress is important for health. As emergency departments (EDs) are often stressful places, a better understanding of the human stress response is important for understanding how and why patients respond as they do when they come to the ED. Since the investigators cannot take up space in the ED for research, the investigators will instead recruit 20 methamphetamine-using participants who are not currently in treatment and 10 healthy adult matched participants to a simulated ED room in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Simulation Center. The investigators will have participants perform a stressor task involving public speaking and a simple arithmetic task. The investigators will see if this experiment can be made to be like being in an actual ED by varying what participants speak about in the task. By doing this, the investigators hope to find out several important things: 1) Is a stressor task feasible and acceptable to participants? 2) What does the stress response -- as measured by cortisol and alpha-amylase -- look like in these participants? 3) Does varying what participants talk about make the experiment seem more like an actual ED? 4) Do participants under stress show even mild symptoms of agitation as measured by clinical scales? If so, how often?
Research Team
Michael P Wilson, M.D., Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
University of Arkansas
Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for adults aged 21-55 who have been in an ED before and can imagine a stressful ED scenario. Healthy participants with no drug history and those with recent meth use meeting DSM-5 criteria can join, but not if they're pregnant, have serious health issues, or took substances the morning of the experiment.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Stress Task
Participants perform a stressor task involving public speaking and a mental arithmetic task in a simulated ED setting
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for stress response indicators such as cortisol and alpha-amylase levels, and behavioral ratings
Treatment Details
Interventions
- Standard social stress task
- Stressful experience in the ED
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Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of Arkansas
Lead Sponsor