Recruiting

Mindful Self-Compassion

Sponsor:

Georgetown University

Code:

NCT05671419

Conditions

Anxiety Disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social Phobia

Panic Disorder

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Mindful Self-Compassion

Study Details

Brief summary:

The study will compare 8-week Mindful Self-Compassion training, compared to a control group that does not receive the intervention, on anxiety and depression symptom severity in patients with diagnosed anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder) or major depressive disorder.

Conditions

Anxiety Disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social Phobia

Panic Disorder

Study ID

NCT05671419

Start date

Jan 16, 2022

Status verified date

Jul, 2026

Completion date

Jul, 2026

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Oct 2, 2025

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Must have a primary anxiety disorder (social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or agoraphobia) or major depressive disorder, current
  • Must score low on self-compassion, as measured by the self-compassion scale
  • Must understand study procedure and willing to participate in all testing visits, and treatment as assigned
  • must be able to give informed consent to the study procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Comorbid psychiatric disorder other than anxiety or depression, such as psychotic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders (i.e., anorexia and bulimia), bipolar disorder; developmental or organic mental disorders; and current (past 6 months) substance use disorders and current post-traumatic stress disorder as assessed by clinician at screening visit
  • A serious medical condition that may result in surgery or hospitalization.
  • A history of head trauma causing prolonged loss of consciousness, or ongoing cognitive impairment
  • Inability to understand study procedures or informed consent process, or significant personality dysfunction likely to interfere with study participation (assessed during the clinical interview).
  • Subjects who will be non-compliant with the study procedures. This may include planned travel out of town.
  • Subjects taking some psychiatric medication such as barbiturates or antipsychotics. Sleep medications and some anti-depressants will be allowed, if the subject has been taken at stable dose 8 weeks prior to baseline and the patient plans to continue at the same dose through the trial.
  • Concurrent psychotherapy initiated within 1 month of screen interview, or ongoing psychotherapy of any duration directed specifically toward the treatment of anxiety (such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy).
  • Individuals who have completed a course of MSC or an equivalent meditation training in the last year.
  • Individuals reporting significant active suicidal ideation or suicidal behaviors within the past year.
  • Individuals with a medical condition (i.e., epilepsy) that may be exacerbated by study treatment, as determined by a study physician or nurse practitioner based on history, physical, and/or labs.
  • Adults unable to consent
  • Pregnant women
  • Prisoners

Study Design

Enrollment

40 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Mindful Self-Compassion

Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) is a weekly class given for 8 weeks. The individual classes last about 2 hours each. The class is provided in a group setting.

no intervention: Treatment as Usual (TAU)

The TAU arm will not receive the additional treatment from the study. Subjects will receive psychiatric treatment from their usual providers.

Interventions

Mindful Self-Compassion

The course teaching mindfulness meditation skills relevant to cultivating self-compassion.

Primary outcome measure

  • Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [ Time Frame: 8 weeks ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Charisma, Study Coordinator

202-687-7283anxietyresearch@georgetown.edu

Locations

Georgetown University Medical Center

Recruiting

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States, 20007

Contacts

Elizabeth Hoge

202-687-7283eah103@georgetown.edu

More Information

Sponsor

Georgetown University

Last update posted

Jul 29, 2026

Last verified

Jul, 2026

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Georgetown University on 2026-07-29.