Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction for Multiple Sclerosis

April 6, 2018 updated by: Angela Senders, ND, MCR, National University of Natural Medicine
The primary purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for adults with any type of multiple sclerosis. The secondary objectives are to: 1) Explore the ability of MBSR to improve perceived stress and quality of life compared to an education control group; and 2) Explore the durability of the effects of MBSR over one year.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

67

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Oregon
      • Portland, Oregon, United States, 97201
        • National College of Natural Medicine

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Men and women 18 years of age or older
  • Definite relapsing remitting, secondary progressive, or primary progressive MS by revised McDonald criteria;
  • Expanded Disability Severity Scale ≤ 8 at baseline;
  • Stable on MS disease modifying, anxiolytic, or antidepressant medications for three months prior to baseline visit;
  • Mild to moderate stress defined by a score of ≥ 10 on the Perceived Stress Scale at screening;
  • Ability to read and write in English;
  • Willingness to provide informed consent and comply with study activities, including weekly MBSR sessions and daily practice or weekly Education Control classes.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • MBSR or cognitive behavioral therapy training within the last 5 years;
  • Current regular meditation or yoga practice (weekly or more often);
  • MS exacerbation within 30 days of Baseline Visit;
  • Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) score of ≤ 26 at Screening Visit;
  • Active suicidal ideation (Beck Depression Inventory) at Screening Visit;
  • Reported or medically recorded diagnoses of current serious psychological disorders other than depression and anxiety;
  • Other current life-threatening or severely disabling physical disorders;
  • Positive pregnancy urine test at Baseline and women planning pregnancy during the study period (contraception not required);
  • Cancer, other than basal or squamous skin cancers; or
  • Inability or unwillingness of individual or legal guardian/representative to give written informed consent.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Mindfulness-base Stress Reduction
Mindfulness-based stress reduction is a formalized, experiential, 8-week stress-management program. Participants attend weekly two-hour classes and a half-day retreat during which they learn mindfulness meditation, breath work, yoga postures, self-reflection and awareness.
Behavioral: Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction
Other Names:
  • MBSR
Active Comparator: MS Education Control
The MS Education Control program is matched to MBSR for time and attention yet has no overlap with intervention content. Each two-hour class uses a pamphlet published by the National MS Society to present information about a different MS topic such as Fatigue; Bowel and Bladder Problems; Diet; Spasticity; and Nutritional Supplementation: Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs.
Behavioral: MS Education Control

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Recruitment: Number of participants enrolled over a ten-month period
Time Frame: Recruitment will be tracked monthly with an expected recruitment period of 10 months..
Feasible recruitment is defined as the ability to recruit and enroll 60 participants with multiple sclerosis (MS) over a ten-month time frame. Recruitment rate will be calculated as the proportion of eligible patients who provided informed consent per month.
Recruitment will be tracked monthly with an expected recruitment period of 10 months..
Adherence to Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR): Number of Participants who are present for at least 5 of the classes, including the final class, and complete at least 70% of homework.
Time Frame: Baseline to 8 weeks
Adherence will be tracked with a sign-in/sign out sheet at each class and with daily homework logs. Attendance will be calculated by a sign in/sign out sheet, being present for at least 75% of a class will count as attended. Homework will be tabulated as both a frequency count (number of days homework was completed) and amount (total number of minutes completed). Participants who are present for at least 5 of the classes, including the final class, and complete at least 70% of homework will be recorded as 'adherent'.
Baseline to 8 weeks
Adoption: Qualitative assessment of facilitators of and barriers to participation in the MBSR program.
Time Frame: Week 4 and week 8 of the 8 week intervention.
Adoption is defined as the ability of participants to take part in activities such as yoga poses and meditative exercises. Qualitative outcomes include a brief, semi-structured focus group conducted at the beginning of the MBSR classes during weeks five and eight. Focus groups will address successes and any challenges participants may be experiencing. Focus groups will be audio recorded and transcribed verbatim for qualitative analysis.
Week 4 and week 8 of the 8 week intervention.
Completion: Number of participants with complete follow-up at 12 months post-intervention.
Time Frame: 14 months
A feasible completion rate is defined as complete follow-up in at least 70% of enrolled subjects at 12-months post-intervention. Completion indicates acceptability of a long-term trial and will inform future study designs.
14 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from baseline in Perceived Stress Scale at 8 weeks
Time Frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
Baseline and 8 weeks
Change in Perceived Stress Scale from 8 weeks to 12 months
Time Frame: 8 weeks and 12 months
8 weeks and 12 months
Change from baseline in Short Form-36 Mental Health Subscale to 8 weeks
Time Frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
Mental health-related quality of life.
Baseline and 8 weeks
Change in Short Form-36 Mental Health Subscale from 8 weeks to 12 months
Time Frame: 8 weeks and 12 months
Mental health-related quality of life.
8 weeks and 12 months
Change in baseline Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Anxiety Score to 8 weeks
Time Frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
PROMIS Computerized Adaptive Test of Anxiety
Baseline and 8 weeks
Change in PROMIS Anxiety Score from 8 weeks to 12 months
Time Frame: 8 weeks and 12 months
PROMIS Computerized Adaptive Test of Anxiety
8 weeks and 12 months
Change in baseline PROMIS Depression Score to 8 weeks
Time Frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
PROMIS Computerized Adaptive Test of Depression
Baseline and 8 weeks
Change in PROMIS Depression Score from 8 weeks to 12 months
Time Frame: 8 weeks and 12 months
PROMIS Computerized Adaptive Test of Depression
8 weeks and 12 months
Change in baseline PROMIS Fatigue Score to 8 weeks
Time Frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
PROMIS Computerized Adaptive Test of Fatigue
Baseline and 8 weeks
Change in PROMIS Fatigue Score from 8 weeks to 12 months
Time Frame: 8 weeks and 12 months
PROMIS Computerized Adaptive Test of Fatigue
8 weeks and 12 months
Change in baseline PROMIS Pain Score to 8 weeks
Time Frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
PROMIS Computerized Adaptive Test of Pain
Baseline and 8 weeks
Change in PROMIS Pain Score from 8 weeks to 12 months
Time Frame: 8 weeks and 12 months
PROMIS Computerized Adaptive Test of Pain
8 weeks and 12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

National University of Natural Medicine

Collaborators

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

May 1, 2015

Primary Completion (Actual)

May 30, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

May 30, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 11, 2015

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 13, 2015

First Posted (Estimate)

January 19, 2015

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 9, 2018

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 6, 2018

Last Verified

April 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • MBSR-MS-001
  • 1K23AT008211-01A1 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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