Mindfulness training with respiration biosignal feedback
Official title: Mindfulness Training and Respiration Biosignal Feedback - Study 2
Run by Equa Health · NCT07136948 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether a breathing-signal feedback feature in the Equa meditation app helps distressed young adults improve mindfulness skills and find the app easy to use.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 30 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Equa Health Industry-sponsored |
| Locations | 1 site (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | July 21, 2025 |
| Main results expected | August 2026 |
| Study ends | September 2026 |
| Registry record updated | July 20, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07136948 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are English-speaking adults aged 18–30 who are experiencing psychological distress, willing to be randomized, able to come on-site, and comfortable wearing earbud headphones and a sensor shirt during sessions.
✕Probably not a fit
People who are currently pregnant or have a current or prior diagnosis of psychosis or schizophrenia are excluded and would not benefit from participation, and individuals unwilling to wear sensors or attend on-site sessions are unlikely to benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Young adults aged 18–30 who report psychological distress will be randomized to either standard guided mindfulness sessions in the Equa app or the same sessions plus a respiration biosignal feedback chart and predictive mindfulness-skill scores. Participants complete 14 smartphone-guided meditation lessons while physiological data (smartphone and earbud motion/microphone signals, Hexoskin shirt sensors, and heart rate) are recorded and brief questionnaires are completed before and after selected lessons. A subset of participants will view a graph of their physiological responses and model-derived mindfulness scores to test usability and satisfaction. Primary outcomes are user satisfaction and usability of the feedback feature and changes in self-reported mindfulness skills over the training period.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the feature could help young adults better notice and track their breathing and mindfulness progress, making meditation training more engaging and easier to learn.
How similar studies have gone: Prior biofeedback and mindfulness studies have shown promising improvements in self-regulation and engagement, but combining smartphone/earbud respiration signals with Hexoskin shirt data and predictive 'skill' scores is a relatively novel approach.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Ages 18-30 years of Age * Fluent in English * Psychological distress * Willing to participate in guided meditation or stress management training. * Willing and able to wear earbud headphones and a shirt which uses sensors to track motion and physiological measures. * Willing to be randomized to one of two conditions * Willing to provide ratings on their training experience Exclusion Criteria: * Currently pregnant * Current or previous diagnosis with psychosis or schizophrenia
Where it's running
-
GATF Building
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: David Creswell, Ph.D. — Equa Health
- Study coordinator: Emily G Thomas, BA
- Email: emily.grace@equahealth.io
- Phone: 828-773-9584
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Stress training and mindfulness via phone-based programs
Young adults will try different smartphone-based stress-management and mindfulness trainings over 14 days to see which version is easiest to use and how it affects stress and mindfulness.
-
Healing Hearts: A Mindfulness App for Parents Navigating Divorce or Separation
A online program tests a self-guided mindfulness app for distressed parents going through divorce or separation, to see if it helps parent and child wellbeing.
-
Positive Psychotherapy and Positive CBT for inmates’ distress and well-being
This study tests two group-based therapies—Positive Psychotherapy and Positive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy—to see if they reduce distress and improve well-being and coping among incarcerated adults in Pakistan.
-
CBITS for Pakistani teens: a school-based trauma program
A school-based group therapy called CBITS is being tested to see if it helps Pakistani adolescents who have experienced trauma feel less distressed and function better.
-
Virtual nature vs guided imagery for anxiety and well-being in hospitalized older adults
In this study, hospitalized adults 65 and older try two ways to bring nature to them: watching 360-degree nature videos on a VR headset or listening to a guided imagery audio to imagine the same scenes, to see which helps mood and anxiety during a two-week period.
-
Finance-focused psycho-oncology support for cancer patients experiencing financial hardship
This pilot tests whether two monthly 60-minute finance-focused counseling sessions over three months can help cancer patients who are experiencing financial distress.
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.