Psychological stress
Conditions
Interventions
Meditation Group: will hold three weekly sessions (36 sessions in total), lasting 30 to 40 minutes each session, for 12 weeks, accompanied virtually (synchronously online) by an instructor with experi
E02.190.525.374
G11.427.410.698.277
Sponsors
Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: Regular students in academic doctoral courses of both sexes
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: Doctoral students who are taking special courses (isolated courses) and doctoral programs in the professional modality. Students with a diagnosis that prevents them from participating in the research will also be excluded (people with severe uncorrected hearing and/or visual impairment), who are using some type of pharmacological medication that may influence the evaluated variables (for example, antidepressants, anxiolytics, corticosteroids) , statins, beta-blockers, anti-inflammatory drugs, stimulants, etc.), students who do not have access to the internet and/or electronic devices (cell phone, computer, tablet, etc.), with a history of some type of mental disorder, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, syndrome of Raynaud`s, who answered “YES” to one or more questions on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q), who participated regularly or had attended physical exercise and/or meditation programs in the last three months, smokers and participants of the research that do not carry out 75% of the planned interventions.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| To evaluate the levels of depression, anxiety and stress in doctoral students, using the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). After 12 weeks of interventions, it is expected to find a decrease in general scores and specific scales, obtained through the effects of meditation practice and functional training.;To assess stress levels in doctoral students, verified by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). After 12 weeks of interventions, it is expected to find a decrease in the overall score of the instrument, obtained through the effects of meditation practice and functional training.;To assess vascular function through the reactivity of the carotid artery diameter using the Cold Pressure Test. In this variable, we will use an exploratory approach, considering that the evidence in the literature is not clear. In this sense, it is expected to find an association between stress and cardiovascular reactivity and both meditation and functional training would attenuate the reactivity of the carotid artery diameter.;Assess sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Worse sleep quality is expected in participants with higher levels of stress and it is assumed an improvement in sleep quality obtained through the effects of meditation practice and functional training.;Assess cognitive function using the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test. It is expected to find a greater amount of errors in participants with higher levels of stress and it was assumed that a smaller amount of errors will occur after the practice of meditation and functional training.;Assess cognitive function using the Trail Test. It is expected to find a longer time to complete the tests in participants with higher levels of stress and it was assumed that after the practice of meditation and functional training the time to end the test will be reduced.;Assess cognitive function using the Stroop Victoria test. It is expected to find a longer time to complete the tests in participan | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Assess autonomic function using Heart Rate Variability, obtained by analyzing the root-mean-square indices of the differences between adjacent normal RR intervals (RMMSD), High Frequency (HF), Low Frequency (LF) and LF/HF ratio . Greater sympathetic activity is expected to result from higher levels of stress and presumably an increase in parasympathetic activity obtained through the effects of meditation practice and functional training.;Assess cardiorespiratory fitness using the Bench Test. An increase in cardiorespiratory fitness is expected as a result of the practice of functional training. In the practice of meditation, we will use an exploratory approach, given that the evidence in the literature is not clear.;Assess mindfulness using the Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale. Improvement is expected in the components of the scale, resulting from the practice of meditation. In the practice of functional training, we will use an exploratory approach, considering that the evidence in the literature is not clear. | — |
Countries
Brazil
Contacts
Public ContactPablo Antonio Araujo
Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
Outcome results
None listed