Mental health vulnerability due to stress is increased in People of African Descent(PADs) in America due to disproportionate effects of racism, poverty, education, andcriminal justice sentencing. Various meditation and mindfulness approaches have providedevidence of measured reductions in multiple negative dimensions of stress. However, themajority of these studies do not have an adequate representation of PADs or othermarginalized groups and are not designed to be culturally relevant or community based.Music has been shown to alleviate multiple symptoms of stress and has been shown to be apreferred and effective support for meditation and mindfulness. However, its role instress management in PADs engaged in meditation or mindfulness is seldom studied. Thisstudy aims to evaluate the effects of a virtual, community-based music mindfulnessprogram on stress management in PAD community members with anxiety and depression duringCOVID19.Music Mindfulness Study: Investigators will compare the effects of music-backed guidedmindfulness mediation and guided mediation alone in alleviating anxiety and depression.
Investigators hypothesize that this intervention will lead to reductions in scores on
stress scales and will provide preliminary data for studies evaluating these types of
community programs as an adjunct to the standard of care.
Participants will be screened, consented, and enrolled into either a 2-week pilot study
(to test the feasibility of the experiment) or an 8-week full length study. The focus of
this registration is the 8-week full length study.
Upon completion of the study, participants will be asked to take part in a focus group
that will provide valuable feedback on their experience with the mindfulness
intervention.
Behavioral: in person meditation
in person guided meditation
Behavioral: in person meditation using headphones
in person meditation using headphones
Behavioral: virtual meditation
virtually guided meditation via Zoom
Inclusion Criteria:
- symptoms of anxiety or depression assessed by PHQ9 (>9) and GAD7 (>9)
Exclusion Criteria:
- Component 2a
- PHQ-9 <9, GAD7 < 9
- regular meditation practice of at least once a week
- has taken meditation course or intervention in the past year
- any hospitalizations in the last 6 months
- suicidal ideation, self-injurious behavior, or homicidal ideation at screening
- active audio-visual hallucinations or other signs of psychosis
- diagnosis of a seizure disorder or other neurological disorder that precludes
outpatient participation
- history of thyroid or cardiovascular disease
- current substance use disorder
BLOOM
New Haven 4839366, Connecticut 4831725, United States
Musical Intervention Studios
New Haven 4839366, Connecticut 4831725, United States
AZA Allsop, MD, PhD
240-422-3289
Aza.allsop@yale.edu
AZA Allsop, MD, PhD, Principal Investigator
Yale University