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RECRUITINGINTERVENTIONAL

From the Heart: Comparing the Effects of Spiritual and Secular Meditation on Psychophysiology, Cognition, Mental Health, and Social Functioning in Healthy Adults

From the Heart Multi-Centre Study: Comparing the Effects of Spiritual and Secular Meditation on Psychophysiology, Cognition, Mental Health, and Social Functioning in Healthy Adults

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare the effects of Christian and Islamic heart-centred spiritual meditation to mindfulness meditation and waitlist control conditions, respectively, in healthy adults. The potential effects will be studied at multiple levels, with a focus on psychophysiology, cognition, mental health, and social functioning.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: - 18 to 60 years old - able to read, speak and understand English - willing to be randomly assigned to all the conditions, with religious affiliation restricting allocation to either the Christian or Islamic type of spiritual meditation conditions - consider oneself to be a Christian or Muslim and pray at least weekly Who Should NOT Join This Trial: - currently suffer from any mental health conditions or use medication to manage mental health conditions - long-term serious physical medical problems, such as liver, brain, kidney, or other life-threatening chronic diseases - a history of a heart condition, high blood pressure, Raynaud syndrome, diabetes, or musculoskeletal condition - the current use of anxiolytics/mood stabilizers. Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion Criteria: * 18 to 60 years old * able to read, speak and understand English * willing to be randomly assigned to all the conditions, with religious affiliation restricting allocation to either the Christian or Islamic type of spiritual meditation conditions * consider oneself to be a Christian or Muslim and pray at least weekly Exclusion Criteria: * currently suffer from any mental health conditions or use medication to manage mental health conditions * long-term serious physical medical problems, such as liver, brain, kidney, or other life-threatening chronic diseases * a history of a heart condition, high blood pressure, Raynaud syndrome, diabetes, or musculoskeletal condition * the current use of anxiolytics/mood stabilizers.

Treatments Being Tested

BEHAVIORAL

Arm 1 - Heart-Centred Spiritual Meditation: Christian contemplation

Participants assigned to this condition will receive daily audio instructions of approximately 20 minutes daily over the course of 8 weeks focused on Christian contemplation delivered through a mobile app. The intervention will consist of a core contemplative practice focused on heart visualisation based on Christian tradition and prayer recitation with breathing to focus their attention on and connection to God.

BEHAVIORAL

Arm 1 - Heart-Centred Spiritual Meditation: Islamic contemplation

Participants assigned to this condition will receive daily audio instructions of approximately 20 minutes daily over the course of 8 weeks, focused on Islamic contemplation delivered through a mobile app. The intervention will consist of a core contemplative practice focused on heart visualisation based on Islamic tradition and prayer recitation with breathing to focus attention on and connection to God.

BEHAVIORAL

Arm 2 - Action Control: Mindfulness Meditation

Participants assigned to this condition will receive daily audio instructions of approximately 20 minutes daily over the course of 8 week, focused on mindfulness meditation delivered through a mobile app. The intervention will consist of the mindfulness-based stress reduction program which emphasizes focused attention on breathing and sensations as well as the practice of non-judgemental acceptance of the present experience.

Locations (2)

Little Flower Institute of Social Sciences and Health (LISSAH) college
Calicut, Kerala, India
Kuriakose Elias College Mannanam
Kottayam, Kerala, India