Mindfulness plus internal-sensation training (ITEM) for anxiety sensitivity
Interoceptive Training Enhanced Mindfulness (ITEM): Acceptability and Measurement
A new program that combines mindfulness with controlled practice of noticing internal body sensations to help Veterans who fear anxiety-related physical symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Medical Research Fdn/san Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11302677 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would learn mindfulness skills together with guided practice of feeling and tolerating uncomfortable internal sensations (like a racing heart or breathlessness). First, a small group of 12 Veterans will try the program and give feedback so the team can improve it. After refinement, 48 Veterans will be randomly assigned to get either the ITEM program or standard interoceptive exposure across six one-on-one sessions. The project also develops a set of ways to measure how people respond, including questionnaires and other tests.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adult Veterans with high anxiety sensitivity or strong fear of arousal-related bodily symptoms, including those with anxiety, trauma-related, or somatic symptom concerns.
Not a fit: People without elevated anxiety sensitivity or those with conditions that make exposure to bodily sensations unsafe (e.g., unstable cardiac disease) may not benefit or be eligible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could make exposure-based treatments easier to tolerate and reduce fear of bodily symptoms that drive anxiety and related problems.
How similar studies have performed: Traditional interoceptive exposure and mindfulness each show benefit for anxiety, but combining them in this hybrid approach is new and relatively untested.
Where this research is happening
San Diego, United States
- Veterans Medical Research Fdn/san Diego — San Diego, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lang, Ariel J — Veterans Medical Research Fdn/san Diego
- Study coordinator: Lang, Ariel J
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.