Weekly Dynamics of Psychopathological and Symptom Networks During Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Emotional Distress

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress (self-guided version): The self-guided version of the Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress (MIED) is a WeChat mini-program that lasts for 49 days. Each day, participants received different materials including (a) an audio recording of mindfulness meditation guidance; (b) learning materials in text or audio; and (c) assignments (for example, informal mindfulness practice, emotion journal, and challenging tasks). These exercises, knowledge and strategies are based on the latest progress in the field of psychological counseling and treatment, and their application in daily life can help alleviate anxiety, depression and other emotional problems.

Study summary

The goal of this clinical study is to learn how Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress (MIED) helps people with emotional distress and how their symptoms and psychological patterns change over time.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

* How do the relationships between emotions, thoughts, and behaviors change week by week during mindfulness training?
* Which psychological skills, such as distress tolerance or cognitive flexibility, improve first and lead to later emotional relief? Two groups will be compared - one that takes part in an online mindfulness intervention and one that waits to join - to see how the intervention changes emotional and psychological networks over time.

Participants will:

* Complete a 7-week online self-guided Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress（iMIED） designed for people experiencing high emotional distress.
* Fill out short weekly questionnaires about their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors before, during, and after the course (9 times in total).
* Receive access to the mindfulness program after the study if they are in the wait-list group.

This study includes about 500 adults aged 18 and older who feel anxious, depressed, or emotionally distressed but have no major psychiatric disorders. By tracking weekly changes, the research aims to identify how mindfulness intervention leads to emotional improvement and which skills play the most important roles in that process.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Weekly changes of Overall Depression Severity and Impairment — before the intervention, weekly during weeks 2-7 of the intervention, immediately after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention
  The Overall Depression Severity and Impairment Scale is a self-reported questionnaire measuring depression. Scores range from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating higher levels of depression.
• Weekly changes of Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment — before the intervention, weekly during weeks 2-7 of the intervention, immediately after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention
  The Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale is a self-reported questionnaire measuring anxiety. Scores range from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating higher levels of anxiety.
• Weekly changes of treating thoughts as thoughts — before the intervention, weekly during weeks 2-7 of the intervention, immediately after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention
  The questionnaire has 1 dimension and contains 5 items on a five-point Likert scale (1=completely compliant, 5=completely non-compliant), with higher scores indicating higher ability to treat ideas as ideas.
• Weekly changes of Cognitive flexibility — before the intervention, weekly during weeks 2-7 of the intervention, immediately after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention
  Cognitive flexibility Inventory is a self-reported questionnaire measuring Cognitive flexibility level.Scores range from 20 to 100, with higher scores indicating higher levels of Cognitive flexibility.
• Weekly changes of Brief Experiential Avoidance — before the intervention, weekly during weeks 2-7 of the intervention, immediately after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention
  Chinese version of the Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire is used to measure Experiential Avoidance.Scores range from 15 to 90, with higher scores indicating higher levels of experiential avoidance.
• Weekly changes of Distress Tolerance — before the intervention, weekly during weeks 2-7 of the intervention, immediately after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention
  Distress Tolerance Scale is used to measure Distress Tolerance. Scores range from 5 to 75, with higher scores indicating higher levels of Distress Tolerance.
• Weekly changes of engaging in everyday life — before the intervention, weekly during weeks 2-7 of the intervention, immediately after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention
  Self-developed scale assessing the extent to which individuals' daily engagement in life domains (such as work, social interactions, and leisure activities) is affected by physical and psychological discomfort. , 16 items, scores range from 0 to 64, with higher scores indicating higher levels of engaging in everyday life.

Trial sites (1)

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