Recruiting

MB-Spirit

Sponsor:

Sara W Lazar

Code:

NCT07325448

Conditions

Stress

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 50

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

MB-Spirit

Strong Behaviors for Stress Reduction

Study Details

Brief summary:

The goal of this clinical trial is to test two new behavioral interventions designed to reduce stress and improve spiritual well-being in stressed adults. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Can the program decrease stress and improve spiritual well-being?
2. What brain changes accompany participation in the programs?

Participants will:

1. Be randomized to either a live online course that meets for 90 minutes every week for 8-weeks, or to a self-paced program. In the self-paced program, participants will receive materials once a week and can work through them at their own pace. Both programs are designed to decrease stress and improve well-being.
2. Complete questionnaires before and after the course.
3. Complete and interview before and after the course.
4. A subset of people will be randomized to complete an MRI scan of their brain before and after the course.

Participants will be randomized to either take the course right away, or be put on a wait-list. Those on the wait-list will undergo the testing at 2 timepoints before they start the program.

Conditions

Stress

Study ID

NCT07325448

Start date

Mar 15, 2026

Status verified date

Jun, 2026

Completion date

Nov, 2026

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Nov, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 50

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Understands English
  • Able to attend all 8 classes
  • Able to travel to Boston for MRI scans

Exclusion Criteria:

  • claustrophobia, pregnancy, head trauma, metallic implants or devices contraindicating MRI, left-handed, conditions that alter cerebral blood flow or metabolism (e.g. stroke), current use of psychotropic medications, lifetime history of suicidality, homicidally, self-destructive acts, schizophrenia or psychosis.

Study Design

Enrollment

44 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Other

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: MB-Spirit

8-week online course that combines mindfulness with character strengths to promote well-being

active comparator: Strong Behaviors for Stress Reduction

self-paced program. Participants receive materials once a week to complete at their own pace

Interventions

MB-Spirit

8-week online course that uses character strengths and mindfulness to promote well-being. Based on 3-part model of spirituality

Strong Behaviors for Stress Reduction

Self-paced

Primary outcome measure

  • FACIT-SP meaning and peace subscale [ Time Frame: 8 weeks ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Study Staff

617-415-8813slazar@mgh.harvard.edu

Staff

stressreduction@partners.org

Locations

149 13th St

Recruiting

Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02129

Contacts

Research Coordinator

617-724-7108slazar@mgh.harvard.edu

More Information

Sponsor

Sara W Lazar

Last update posted

Jun 11, 2026

Last verified

Jun, 2026

Keywords

  • stress
  • MRI
  • spirituality
  • well-being

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Sara W Lazar on 2026-06-11.