Mindfulness and Romantic Relationship Quality

Overview

The overarching aim of this proposal is to experimentally test whether a mindfulness intervention improves relationship quality. Romantic couples from the community will be randomly assigned to one of two arms: mindfulness vs. active control. Both interventions will be completed on a smart-phone for 14 days using identical intervention activities as our existing published research. After the 14-day period, couples will attend a lab visit and provide relationship quality data.

Study Type

  • Study Type: Interventional
  • Study Design
    • Allocation: Randomized
    • Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
    • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
    • Masking: Single (Participant)
  • Study Primary Completion Date: June 30, 2024

Detailed Description

Romantic couples from the community will be randomly assigned to one of two arms: mindfulness vs. active control. Thus, both partners will either complete the mindfulness intervention (developed to increase attention towards and acceptance of current experiences) or a relaxation-based active treatment comparison intervention (developed to parallel the structure of the mindfulness intervention without the attention towards or acceptance of present experiences). Both interventions will be completed on a smart-phone for 14 days using identical intervention activities as our existing published research, which demonstrated that the mindfulness intervention reduced stress reactivity and improved daily well-being. After the 14-day period, couples will attend a lab visit and provide multi-method relationship quality data.

Interventions

  • Behavioral: Mindfulness intervention
    • Participants will either complete a mindfulness intervention or active control for 2 weeks on their smartphone

Arms, Groups and Cohorts

  • Experimental: MIndfulness
    • This arm was developed to increase attention towards and acceptance of current experiences.
  • Active Comparator: Active Control
    • This arm is a relaxation-based active treatment comparison intervention, developed to parallel the structure of the mindfulness intervention without the attention towards or acceptance of present experiences.

Clinical Trial Outcome Measures

Primary Measures

  • Changes in Romantic Relationship Quality
    • Time Frame: Before and after the 2 week intervention
    • Assessed with well validated sel-report questionnaire, the Couples Satisfaction Index

Secondary Measures

  • Changes in Sleep quality
    • Time Frame: Before and after the 2 week intervention
    • Assessed with well validated measure, the PROMIS sleep disturbance questionnaire
  • Changes in Depressive symptoms
    • Time Frame: Before and after the 2 week intervention
    • Assessed with well validated measure, the PROMIS depressive symptoms questionnire
  • Changes in Blood pressure
    • Time Frame: Before and after the 2 week intervention
    • Assessed with well validated measure, physiological assessment via a blood pressure machine
  • Changes in Life satisfaction
    • Time Frame: Before and after the 2 week intervention
    • Assessed with well validated measure, the Life Satisfaction Scale

Participating in This Clinical Trial

Inclusion Criteria

  • Couples living together for at least 2 years – Both partners must be fluent in English – Both partners cannot already engage in regular systematic mind-body practice (>2 times per week). – Both partners must have daily access to an internet-enabled smartphone to complete the intervention Exclusion Criteria:

-

Gender Eligibility: All

Minimum Age: 18 Years

Maximum Age: N/A

Are Healthy Volunteers Accepted: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Investigator Details

  • Lead Sponsor
    • University of Delaware
  • Collaborator
    • Carnegie Mellon University
  • Provider of Information About this Clinical Study
    • Principal Investigator: Lisa Jaremka, Principal Investigator – University of Delaware
  • Overall Contact(s)
    • Marcia Ellis, 302-831-4591, projectclosestaff@gmail.com

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