Stress (Psychology)

Many caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias-especially those in immigrant communities who don't speak English well-don't get access to helpful, proven support programs. To address this, the investigative team adapted an existing caregiver support program (called the Savvy Caregiver Program) to better fit target group's culture and language. This new version, called K-Savvy, is a 6-week online program taught in Korean. In an earlier small study, K-Savvy worked well: caregivers found it helpful, were willing to use it, and showed fewer symptoms of depression. Now, the investigative team wants to study it more carefully to see how well it really works and why. The study has two main goals: Goal 1: The investigative team will measure whether K-Savvy improves caregivers' well-being-specifically whether it reduces stress and depression and helps them feel more positive about caregiving. The investigative team will also look at why it works, focusing on whether it changes how caregivers think about their situation (for example, feeling less overwhelmed and more confident). Goal 2: The investigative team will talk directly with caregivers and program instructors to understand their experiences with K-Savvy. This will help the investigative team learn what worked well, what didn't, and why.

The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of a mindfulness-centered stress management AI chatbot in reducing perceived stress and enhancing mental health among Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM). The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does the AI chatbot show a greater reduction in perceived stress compared to standardized psychoeducational materials? 2. Does the AI chatbot improve mental health outcomes, including depressive and anxiety symptoms, subjective well-being, and emotion regulation? Researchers will compare the AI chatbot to a control group receiving psychoeducational materials to see if the chatbot works to reduce stress and improve mental health. Participants will: 1. Be randomized to use the AI chatbot (recommended at least 2 sessions per week, 10-15 minutes per session) or read psychoeducational materials (2 times per week) for 4 weeks. 2. Complete online self-report questionnaires at baseline, post-intervention (Week 4), and 4-week follow-up.

This is a randomized controlled trial examining the efficacy and neural mechanisms of a standardized Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress (MIED) in adults with subclinical emotional distress. One hundred and sixty participants will be randomly assigned to either an 8-week MIED program or an 8-week Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) active control. The primary aim is to evaluate whether MIED reduces anxiety symptoms and reshapes multilevel emotional processing as measured by multimodal EEG (resting-state FAA/theta, Fast Periodic Visual Stimulation, and event-related potentials). Assessments occur at baseline (T1), post-intervention (T2), and 1-month follow-up.

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of the SanaMente peer-led mental health and lifestyle program for rural Latino/a adults with chronic medical conditions and mental health concerns. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is the SanaMente program feasible and acceptable for rural Latino/a adults with chronic medical conditions and mental health concerns? * Does participation in the SanaMente program improve mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, and stress), healthy lifestyle behaviors (sleep, physical activity, and nutrition), and overall well-being? This is a single-arm pilot study without comparison group. Participants will: * Participate in the 6-8 week SanaMente peer-led group program. * Complete surveys at baseline, mid-program, and post-program assessing mental health, lifestyle behaviors, overall well-being, and program satisfaction. * Complete an exit survey and have the option to participate in a focus group to provide feedback on the program's usability, acceptability, perceived impact, and suggestions for improvement.

Medical and technological advancements allow increasingly complex invasive procedures to be performed on hospitalized patients, improving their survival rates and prognosis. However, these interventions impact physical, emotional, and psychological health. In this scenario, post-hospitalization syndrome (PHS) emerges as a concerning phenomenon characterized by functional, emotional, and social decline after discharge. Invasive procedures such as surgeries or prolonged use of catheters not only compromise physical integrity but also contribute to disorders like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. In fact, between 20% and 30% of patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) develop symptoms compatible with post-traumatic stress disorder. This underscores the need for a comprehensive approach focused on psychological and social well-being during and after the hospital stay. Despite humanization initiatives, few hospitals successfully implement them due to a lack of objective evaluations and clinical recommendations that justify their necessity. In this regard, venous catheterization (VC) is the most prevalent invasive procedure. The pain, anxiety, or fear caused by this technique triggers physiological and psychological alterations that can interfere with the successful insertion of the device. This stress response induces vasoconstriction, reducing the caliber of the vein, which increases technical difficulty, elevates the risk of complications, raises healthcare costs, and negatively impacts patient satisfaction. Natural outdoor environments have been shown to reduce stress, enhancing well-being and health in the general population. In this sense, the use of immersive virtual reality (IVR) to achieve immersion in virtual nature could help not only by diverting attention away from the painful or anxiety-inducing stimulus during invasive procedures but also by providing pleasant stimuli that could have a physiological impact. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of IVR on stress and anxiety during VC using validated clinical scales, measuring the caliber of the vessel to be punctured, and determining salivary biomarkers of stress, well-being, and pain. Confirming this hypothesis will provide the evidence to integrate virtual reality into the National Health System as a standard tool for more humanized and innovative care.

Emotional regulation is a key component of reducing parenting stress, a sense of self-efficacy, and thus successful parenting, child outcomes, and productivity amongst working parents. However, few interventions begin building these necessary components in pregnancy prior to the extremely stressful period immediately post-partum, where little trait and behavioural modification occurs. More importantly, most interventions overlook the importance of having both partners, despite fathers/partners playing a significant role in influencing maternal stress and mood symptoms. This goal of this study is to examine whether short weekly exercises delivered through a mobile app can help first-time parents feel better emotionally during pregnancy. These exercises are designed to help people manage their emotions and stress. Researchers want to know if doing these exercises, along with getting weekly feedback and encouragement, can reduce signs of depression and improve emotional control. Expecting mothers and fathers who are having their first child may be able to join the study if they meet certain conditions. Participants should be planning to stay in Singapore for the next two years and be comfortable using a smartphone and answering questions in English. Participants may benefit from learning new ways to manage stress and emotions, which could help improve their mental health. Participants will wear a Fitbit watch to track activity. They will complete a short weekly survey about their well-being during pregnancy and a monthly survey about their work productivity until six months after the baby is born. They will also answer online surveys about their health, relationships, and background at the start, three times during pregnancy, and three times after birth. In addition, they will visit the research lab twice to take part in tasks that measure thinking and behaviour.

This study evaluates the feasibility, acceptability and clinical impact of a virtual reality (VR)- based nature intervention in an acute psychiatric inpatient unit. Participants are randomly assigned to recieve VR nature sessions (using Nature Treks VR on Meta Quest 3) in addition to standard care, or standard care alone. The primary outcome is change in percieved stress (PSS-19) from admission to discharge. The study uses a mixed-methods design combining randomized controlled trial with a qualitative phase.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a self-help reading program, called metacognitive bibliotherapy, can reduce anxiety and depression in university students studying medicine and health sciences. It will also examine whether the program changes unhelpful thinking patterns about worry and rumination. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does metacognitive bibliotherapy lower anxiety and depression symptoms in university students? Does it reduce unhelpful thinking patterns, such as excessive worry and rumination? Researchers will compare two different self-help books with a waiting list group to see if reading these books helps reduce anxiety and depression. Participants will: * Be randomly assigned to one of three groups: read The Art of Letting Go - How to Stop Rumination, read Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory, or join a waiting list * Read the assigned book at their own pace over 8 weeks * Complete online questionnaires at the start of the study, after 4 weeks, and after 8 weeks * Participants in the waiting list group will receive both books for free after the 8-week study period ends

The aim of Health Surveillance is to analyze and describe the state of health of students at Constructor University, key influencing factors and individual resources by using mixed-method design.

Pregnancy is a period characterized by significant physiological and psychosocial changes, during which women adapt to new roles. While some women experience this period with excitement and hope, others may experience anxiety, uncertainty, and fear. Fear of childbirth (tokophobia) is a common condition that can negatively affect women's quality of life, birth preferences, and childbirth experiences. High levels of fear of childbirth have been associated with increased cesarean section rates, negative birth perceptions, and postpartum psychological problems. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of a solution-focused childbirth preparation education program based on the Health Belief Model on fear of childbirth and belief in normal birth among primigravida women. Secondary outcomes include pregnancy-related stress and mode of delivery. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving structured education or a control group receiving routine prenatal care. Data will be collected before and after the intervention using validated measurement tools, and delivery outcomes will be recorded after birth. The findings are expected to contribute to improving maternal psychological well-being and promoting positive childbirth experiences.

The goal of this observational study is to learn if a non-contact facial scan using artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to check health status in adults living in urban areas such as Jakarta. The facial scan uses a method called remote photoplethysmography (rPPG), which measures small changes in blood flow from the face using a camera. The main questions this study aims to answer are: 1. How close are the results from the facial scan to standard medical measurements, such as heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels? 2. Can the facial scan estimate other health indicators, such as blood sugar, lipid profile, HbA1c, and hemoglobin levels? 3. Is there a relationship between the facial scan results and mental health, such as stress, anxiety, and depression? Participants will take part in several simple and mostly non-invasive procedures: 1. Answer questionnaires about their mental health and daily habits 2. Have basic health checks, such as blood pressure, heart rate, and body measurements 3. Provide a blood sample for laboratory testing 4. Complete a facial scan using a camera for about 1 to 3 minutes Researchers will compare the results from the facial scan with standard clinical and laboratory tests to see how well the technology works. This study may help develop a simple and accessible screening tool that can be used for early detection of health risks. It may also support the use of digital health and telemedicine in community and clinical settings.

The purpose of this study is to test whether a tailored mindfulness program, called the Mindful Awareness Practice (MAP) or a Health Education Program (HEP) can reduce stress and improve memory, mood, and well-being in older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and elevated stress.

This pilot study aims to evaluate the feasibility and probable impact of a low intensity psychosocial intervention program designed to help individuals to manage their stress levels. Consequently, this study will implement and measure the feasibility, randomization, retention, assessment procedures, and preliminary effects of the Self-Help Plus (SH+) program developed by the World Health Organization. This intervention, which has been used among immigrants and has proven to be effective, is intended to be implemented for the first time among distressed young Turkish-speaking women in Türkiye (ages between 18 and 29). Participants who will receive this intervention program will be compared with others in the control group who experience similar stress levels but will not receive SH+ during the trial period. Participants in the control group will receive SH+ after the completion of follow-up assessments at 3 months.

Nearly 50% of the adult workforce experience adverse psychological symptoms (e.g., stress, depression, burnout, etc.) stemming from workplace stressors, with healthcare workers experiencing rates as high as 80%. Some common complaints and downstream consequences of working in high-stress healthcare occupations are elevated levels of perceived stress, depression, and burnout. These conditions have been associated with unfavorable occupational (e.g., increased medical errors), patient (e.g., increased mortality rates), and provider-related outcomes (e.g., increased rates of cardiovascular disease), imposing a heavy burden on an already stretched system. Given the impact of perceived stress, depression, and burnout on employee and patient health, a clear need exists to develop effective interventions to reduce distress and promote well-being among healthcare professionals. In particular, interventions that target processes particularly vulnerable to provider stress (e.g., compassion) are needed. The present study will evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a mindfulness-based intervention inspired by the Buddhist Four Immeasurables practice on reducing perceived stress (primary outcome), depressive symptoms, burnout, and biological markers of inflammation, and enhancing psychological well-being and sleep quality (secondary outcomes) in 80 healthcare workers. Additionally, we will investigate several mediators (compassion, positive emotions, equanimity, and mindfulness) of intervention effects. Participants will be healthcare employees of UCLA Health. They will be enrolled in a six-week, two-arm randomized controlled trial. Participants will complete self-report questionnaires at baseline, mid-course, and post-intervention to assess study outcomes and mediators. We aim to advance the study of interventions that reduce distress and promote well-being using practices that cultivate kind feelings toward oneself and others.

The goal of this feasibility study is to learn whether a VR intervention is feasible, acceptable, and satisfactory for healthcare workers in surgical wards to help mitigate stress. Secondary objectives include assessing its potential contribution to stress reduction, user comfort, and practical integration into daily workflows. Participants will take part in a single 10-minute VR intervention session.