Smartphone Mindfulness Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder Randomized Study Comparing Mindfulness Practice to Self-Monitoring Placebo

What This Trial Is About

Researchers are studying whether a brief, smartphone-based mindfulness program can help adults with generalized anxiety disorder GAD. This randomized controlled trial compares a 14-day mindfulness ecological momentary intervention MEMI with a self-monitoring placebo SMP to see if mindfulness training improves anxiety symptoms, attentional control, executive functioning, empathy, and perspective-taking. The study aims to fill gaps in knowledge about the benefits of short mindfulness therapies delivered via smartphone apps in people with GAD. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the MEMI group or the SMP group. Those in the MEMI group will receive prompts five times a day through a smartphone app to practice mindfulness skills such as open monitoring, acceptance, noticing small moments, and diaphragmatic breathing, plus bedtime reminders about mindfulness as a lifelong practice. The SMP group will also receive five daily prompts but will only practice self-monitoring of thoughts and feelings without mindfulness instructions. The intervention lasts for 14 consecutive days. Participants will complete self-report questionnaires and neuropsychological tests before treatment, after the 14-day intervention, and at a one-month follow-up. Researchers will measure changes in anxiety symptoms, perseverative thoughts, attentional control, working memory, set-shifting, inhibitory control, verbal fluency, empathy, interpersonal reactivity, and trait mindfulness. The study will use these assessments to evaluate the impact of the mindfulness intervention compared to self-monitoring over time.

Brief Smartphone Treatment Study