Minimal digital mindfulness dose for improving attention and stress response
Official title: Minimally Effective Dosing of Mindfulness Meditation Training
Funded at Carnegie-Mellon University · NIH-11433465 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study will test how little digital mindfulness training is needed for adults to gain better attention and lower stress responses.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Carnegie-Mellon University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 2, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $569,409 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AT013937-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11433465 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 and older who report stress and are willing to use a digital mindfulness program.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals who prefer non-digital mindfulness methods or have contraindications to participation in stress-testing protocols may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests different small amounts of digital mindfulness training (0, 1, 3, 7, 10, or 14 sessions) in stressed adults to see which dose helps improve sustained attention and reduce cortisol and blood pressure responses to a social stress test. Participants will use a validated mindfulness app and complete tasks like the SART and TSST to measure attention and stress biology. The findings aim to identify the minimally effective dose that kicks off healthier brain and body responses, guiding future digital mindfulness programs. The study is led by Carnegie Mellon University and involves a large, diverse community sample over several years.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, people could achieve meaningful stress reduction and better attention with a small, accessible amount of digital mindfulness training.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work supports the idea that brief mindfulness training can affect cognitive and stress-related outcomes, but this study will pinpoint the minimal effective dose.
Where this research is happening
-
Carnegie-Mellon University
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Creswell, John David — Carnegie-Mellon University
- Study coordinator: Creswell, John David
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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.