Relaxation-Response-based Mental Health Promotion - Open and Calm 2013

Study of Potential Health Effects of a Relaxation-response-based Mental Health Promotion Course (RR-MHP) and the Possibilities for Its Applications in the Danish Public Health Sector

The purpose of the study is to investigate health-promoting and stress-reducing psychological, physiological and hormonal effects of a 9-week meditation-based course in personal health and to examine potential baseline factors for any such effects. Thus, the investigators will investigate the course format (individual course or group-based course) as a potential factor the course outcome, and also individual background factors such as demographics and genetic variations.

Inclusion Criteria

• Experience of stress, defined as a Cohen's perceived stress scale score > 12.
• Speaks and reads Danish fluently.
• Ability to use the internet to complete questionnaires.
• Participation in face-to-face study information meeting.
• Signed agreement to the study conditions and informed consent form

Exclusion Criteria

• Other current treatment (psychological, medical or other) for stress, depression, anxiety, phobias, traumas or other psychological problems.
• Other current treatment for bodily illnesses, such as pain, migraine, cancer.
• More than one diagnose with psychiatric disease (e.g. anxiety, depression) within the past 3 years.
• Body-Mass Index > 30.
• Major Depression Inventory score > 25 at inclusion interview.
• Physical handicaps affecting life stress or quality of life chronically.
• Drug use (> 50 times hash during the past two years; max 20 times harder drugs, max 2 times per month since the 18th birthday on average; no periods > 3 years where the use of drugs exceeded two times per month).
• Alcohol use > 21 drinks/week for men, and > 14 drinks/week for women and AUDIT-scores (a scale of alcohol-related problems) >20.
• Serious head trauma.