Mindfulness training with respiration biosignal feedback

Mindfulness Training and Respiration Biosignal Feedback - Study 2

NA · Equa Health · NCT07136948

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

PhaseNA
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment60 (estimated)
Ages18 Years to 30 Years
SexAll
SponsorEqua Health (industry)
Locations1 site (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Trial IDNCT07136948 on ClinicalTrials.gov

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.

Who should consider this trial

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.

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.

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 performed: 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.

Eligibility criteria

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 this trial is running

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Psychological Distress, Mindfulness Skills, Usability Satisfaction, respiration biosignal feedback, young adults, mental health, well-being, mindfulness skills

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.