Stress and Anxiety for Adjustment Disorder
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
This trial explores how stress and anxiety influence decision-making and adaptation to new situations. Researchers use tasks like the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Task (SECPT) to observe changes in decision-making processes under stress. The trial suits individuals who speak English fluently and have experienced anxiety or have a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Participants should not have high blood pressure, heart conditions, or certain other medical conditions. As an unphased study, this trial provides a unique opportunity to contribute to understanding anxiety's impact on decision-making.
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
The trial requires that you have been on a stable dose of psychiatric medication for at least 4 weeks before participating. If you are taking corticosteroids or beta-blockers, you will need to stop taking them to join the study.
Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?
Research has shown that the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Task (SECPT), a method used to induce stress, is generally safe for participants. Studies have found that it reliably triggers the body's stress responses, such as slight increases in blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels, a stress hormone. These changes are normal reactions to stress and are usually not harmful to healthy individuals. However, factors like gender, genetics, and smoking can influence stress responses.
No strong evidence of serious side effects exists, indicating that most people handle the SECPT well. However, those with specific health concerns should consult a healthcare provider before participating.12345Why are researchers excited about this trial?
Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores how different tasks impact stress and anxiety levels in individuals with adjustment disorder. Unlike traditional treatments like therapy and medication, this trial examines the body's neuroendocrine response, specifically cortisol, to stress tasks like the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Task (SECPT). The goal is to understand how various stress and non-stress tasks affect value adaptation and emotional responses, which could lead to new insights into managing anxiety and stress. By focusing on the biological responses to these tasks, the trial could pave the way for more personalized and effective treatment strategies.
What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for stress and anxiety?
Research has shown that the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Task (SECPT), which participants in this trial may undergo, effectively causes stress by activating the body's stress system, the HPA axis. Studies have found that this stress response can impact decision-making and learning, potentially helping researchers understand anxiety better. The SECPT combines social and physical stress to influence trust and social behaviors. In past studies, the SECPT significantly increased stress levels and altered responses to rewards and habits. This suggests that the SECPT could be a useful tool for studying stress and anxiety in individuals with adjustment disorders. Meanwhile, participants in other trial arms will complete a non-stressful control task, allowing researchers to compare the effects of stress versus non-stressful conditions.12678
Who Is on the Research Team?
Candace Raio, PhD
Principal Investigator
NYU Langone Health
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for individuals experiencing adjustment disorder, which can occur after a stressful life event. Participants should be interested in how stress and anxiety affect their decision-making processes. Specific eligibility criteria are not provided, but typically participants would need to meet certain health and demographic requirements.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Study Visit
Participants complete demographic and self-report measures, followed by random assignment to complete either the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Task (SECPT) or a non-stressful control task. Cortisol samples are collected throughout the session.
Behavioral Task
Participants complete various tasks such as the Food Value Adaptation Task, Image Value Adaptation Task, and Affective Prediction Error Task to assess decision-making variables.
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for any changes in stress and anxiety levels post-study visit.
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Non-Stressful Control Task
- Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Task (SECPT)
Trial Overview
The study is testing the effects of a Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Task (SECPT), which induces stress, against a Non-Stressful Control Task on learning and decision-making. It aims to understand changes in value adaptation and affective prediction errors under stress and anxiety.
How Is the Trial Designed?
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Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Participants will first complete demographic and self-report measures, followed by random assignment to complete the SECPT. Cortisol samples will be collected throughout the study session to measure neuroendocrine response to the stress/control task. Participants will then complete the Affective Prediction Error Task.
Participants will be randomly assigned to complete the SECPT. Cortisol samples will be collected throughout the study session. Participants will then complete the Image Value Task, during which they will view a series of positive, negative or neutral images over alternating task blocks.
Participants will be randomly assigned to complete the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Task (SECPT). Cortisol samples will be collected throughout the study session. All participants will then complete a Food Value Task, during which they will view a series of reward stimuli (snack foods) over alternating task blocks.
Participants will be randomly assigned to complete a non-stressful control task. Cortisol samples will be collected throughout the study session. All participants will then complete a Food Value Task, during which they will view a series of reward stimuli (snack foods) over alternating task blocks.
Participants will be randomly assigned to complete a non-stressful control task. Cortisol samples will be collected throughout the study session. Participants will then complete the Affective Prediction Task.
Participants will be randomly assigned to complete a non-stressful control task. Cortisol samples will be collected throughout the study session. Participants will then complete the Image Value Task, during which they will view a series of positive, negative or neutral images over alternating task blocks.
Participants with a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) will complete a two-session behavioral task examining how clinical anxiety affects value and affective predictions.
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
NYU Langone Health
Lead Sponsor
Citations
Evaluation of the socially evaluated cold-pressor group test ...
Our study confirms that the SECPT-G is a stress induction tool which elicits a strong HPA axis response, which is mostly independent of many ...
Acute social and physical stress interact to influence social ...
Our results show that social and physical stress interacted to modulate trust, trustworthiness, and sharing.
3.
researchgate.net
researchgate.net/publication/41012459_Socially_evaluated_cold_pressor_stress_after_instrumental_learning_favors_habits_over_goal-directed_actionSocially evaluated cold pressor stress after instrumental ...
Cortisol responses to stress correlated significantly with habitual performance. These findings show that stress induced by the socially ...
Ten years of research with the Socially Evaluated Cold ...
Our analyses show that the SECPT leads, both in men and women, to striking increases in subjective stress levels, autonomic arousal, and cortisol, albeit the ...
Effects of Focusing and Distraction on Cold Pressor ...
Focused attention was associated with higher pain and lower completion rates in chronic pain patients compared with healthy control subjects.
The socially evaluated cold-pressor test (SECPT) for groups
Our results indicate that the group SECPT activates the SNS and the HPA, leading to increased blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol concentration.
7.
researchgate.net
researchgate.net/publication/5449847_HPA_axis_activation_by_a_socially_evaluated_cold-pressor_testHPA axis activation by a socially evaluated cold-pressor test
We used the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test (SECPT) to induce stress, as this task reliably induces SAM and HPA axis activation (Schenk et ...
8.
semanticscholar.org
semanticscholar.org/paper/The-socially-evaluated-cold-pressor-test-(SECPT)-of-Minkley-Schr%C3%B6der/5a7dd83aee7a379d59d936589c4478f31f67bd76The socially evaluated cold-pressor test (SECPT) for groups
The results suggest that gender, genetics and nicotine consumption can influence the individual's stress responsiveness to psychological stress while ...
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