How social support changes threat-related vigilance and arousal
Official title: Effects of Trauma and Discrimination on the Social Regulation of Threat-related Vigilance and Arousal
Run by University of Nevada, Reno · NCT05558527 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study will test whether having a supportive romantic partner present reduces threat-related vigilance and physiological arousal in adults in stable relationships, and whether histories of interpersonal trauma or racial/ethnic discrimination change that effect.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 65 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 45 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Nevada, Reno Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Reno, Nevada) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | December 18, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 2028 |
| Study ends | December 2029 |
| Registry record updated | April 13, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT05558527 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal participants are adults in a stable romantic relationship for at least six months, fluent in English, with normal or allowable corrected vision (not requiring glasses or hard/bifocal contacts), and who have not experienced a traumatic event in the past four weeks.
✕Probably not a fit
People who are not in a qualifying romantic relationship, require glasses or disallowed contact lenses, have very recent trauma, or cannot travel to Reno are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit from participating.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Researchers will use eye-tracking and physiological measures to compare vigilance and arousal when participants view potential threat cues with a romantic partner present versus alone. Participants must be adults in stable romantic relationships, fluent in English, and have normal or allowable corrected vision. The team will gather self-reported histories of interpersonal trauma and ethnoracial discrimination to see if those histories moderate the social buffering effect. All procedures take place in controlled laboratory visits at the University of Nevada, Reno contrasting social support and no-support conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could support partner-based strategies to reduce hypervigilance and excessive arousal in people with trauma or discrimination histories.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research supports social emotion regulation as a buffer for arousal, but using eye-tracking to study hypervigilance and testing moderation by interpersonal trauma and ethnoracial discrimination is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * In a stable romantic relationship for 6 months or more * Normal vision or corrected-to-normal vision * Fluent in English Exclusion Criteria: * If vision is corrected-to-normal, needs to use hard contact lenses, bifocal contact lenses, or glasses * Experienced a traumatic event within the past 4 weeks
Where it's running
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University of Nevada, Reno
Reno, Nevada, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Cynthia L Lancaster, PhD — University of Nevada, Reno
- Study coordinator: Kylie Baer, MS
- Email: kyliebaer@unr.edu
- Phone: (775) 682-8145
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.