Mechanisms of Mindfulness Training and Stress Reduction

There is a growing body of randomized controlled trial (RCT) evidence indicating that
mindfulness training interventions may reduce stress and improve stress-related disease
outcomes. Yet little is known about the underlying active training mechanisms of mindfulness
training. Although it is generally believed that mindfulness training interventions foster a
capacity to monitor and accept present moment experience, debate currently focuses on
whether it is the capacity to both monitor and non-judgmentally accept experience that
drives the salutary effects observed in mindfulness training interventions. This project
will test these putative active mechanisms by comparing two different types of mindfulness
meditation training programs. N=135 stressed community adults will be recruited and
randomized to either two different types of 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
programs or a No Treatment Control (assessment only) comparison condition. Participants will
complete 3 days of daily experience sampling (Ecological Momentary Assessment) immediately
before and after the 8-week intervention period to measure attentional control and stress
perceptions in daily life. In order to measure psychological and HPA-axis stress reactivity
to a controlled stressor, participants will also complete a standardized acute stress
challenge task (the Trier Social Stress Test, TSST) immediately following the 3-day
post-intervention assessment period. This project provides the first dismantling study of
mindfulness meditation training, it utilizes cutting-edge daily experience sampling of real
life stress (using EMA) and stress biomarkers (salivary cortisol), and will provide
important initial information for designing more effective (and efficient) mindfulness
training interventions in at-risk stressed patient populations.

Inclusion Criteria:

- English speaking

- Moderate- to high-stress

- Owns an internet-enabled smart phone

Exclusion Criteria:

- Diagnosis of chronic mental (e.g. recurrent depression, schizophrenia, personality
disorder) or physical disease (e.g. cancer, HIV, diabetes)

- Hospitalization in past 3 months

- Medication use that interferes with cortisol activity (e.g. corticosteroids)

- Current oral contraceptive use

- Pregnancy

- Current antibiotic, antiviral, or antimicrobial treatment

- Travel outside the country within the past 6 months to any country on the Center for
Disease Control travel alert list

- Recreational drug use, excessive alcohol or tobacco use

- Significant experience with or daily practice of mindfulness meditation or related
mind-body practice