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| ID | Type | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| WU2024A001 | Other Grant/Funding Number | Dingheng Shipping Technology Co. Ltd. |
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| Name | Class |
|---|---|
| Westlake University | OTHER |
| University of Chinese Academy of Sciences | UNKNOWN |
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Purpose of the Study
This clinical trial aims to find out whether a 5-day mindfulness training program can help improve creativity in academic researchers. The study focuses on answering these key questions:
Can focused-attention (FA) and open-monitoring (OM) meditation boost creativity in academic researchers?
Do FA and OM meditation have different effects on creativity?
How does the training affect brain activity (measured by electrical signals)?
Researchers will compare the effects of FA and OM meditation with a control group that listens to audio recordings, to see which method-if any-helps improve creativity.
What Participants Will Do
Join one of three groups: FA meditation, OM meditation, or audio listening (control), and take part in daily practice for 5 days.
Come to the research center for testing three times.
Keep a daily log of how they engage with the training.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focused-attention group | Experimental | Focused-attention training |
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| Open-monitoring group | Experimental | Open-monitoring training |
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| Control group | Active Comparator | Listen to stories about creativity |
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| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focused-attention meditation | Behavioral | This is a type of mindfulenss meditation, which instructes participants to keep focusing on own breathing with a sitting and rest posture. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Divergent thinking | Divergent thinking, a key component of creativity, will be assessed using the Alternative Uses Task (AUT). In this test, participants are asked to think of as many different uses as possible for a common object-like a brick, knife, or pillow-within a limited time. The scores including three factors: fluency, flexibility, and originality, which will be gained via TranDis, a semantic distance scoring system based on transformer-based language models. | Pre- and post- assessments after a 15-min training at Day1 (before 5-day practice), Day7 (after 5-day practice), and follow-up (1 month after 5-day practice). |
| Convergent thinking | Convergent thinking, a key component of creativity, will be measured by the Remote Associate Test (RAT). In this test, participants are given three words and must identify a fourth word that links all three. | Pre- and post- assessments after a 15-min training at Day1 (before 5-day practice), Day7 (after 5-day practice), and follow-up (1 month after 5-day practice). |
| EEG | Quantitative EEG power spectral density (PSD) across frequency bands (delta: 0.5-4 Hz, theta: 4-8 Hz, alpha: 8-13 Hz, beta: 13-30 Hz, gamma: >30 Hz) will be measured at Day 7 (post-intervention). Absolute and relative power in each band will be extracted from resting-state EEG (eyes closed), task-state EEG (15-min mindfulness or control), and task-state EEG during creativity tests, recorded at standardized scalp locations. Changes in spectral power will be used as indicators of neurophysiological responses to the mindfulness training. | During the whole tests at Day7 (after 5-day practice) |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness | Mindfulness is assessed using the Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale (PHLMS). The PHLMS is a 20-item scale with two factors named Awareness and Acceptance. Participants will rate on a 5-point scale (1 = never, 5 = very often) according to the frequency that they experienced the described item within the past week. The score range for the PHLMS is 20 to 100. | Assessments at Day1 (before 5-day practice), Day7 (after 5-day practice), and follow-up (1 month after 5-day practice). |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement and practice times | Particpants will report their engagement after everyday practice by answering the question "On a scale from 0 to 10, how would you rate your level of engagement during today's practice? (0 = not engaged at all, frequent mind-wandering or drowsiness; 10 = highly engaged, focused and alert)" | Day 2 to Day 5 during the intervention, and 1 month after the 5-day practice period, for participants who engaged in follow-up practice. |
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westlake University | Hangzhou | Zhejiang | 310030 | China |
The following de-identified individual participant data will be shared: demographic information, assessment scores, and time points of data collection. No personally identifiable information will be included.
Beginning 1 year and ending 5 years after publication
Criteria for data sharing:
Researchers must submit a scientific proposal describing the purpose and methods of the planned analyses. The analyses should be aligned with the original study objectives and must not attempt to identify individual participants. The proposal may be reviewed by the study team for scientific and ethical appropriateness.
Mechanism for data sharing:
Researchers need to submit a proposal and sign a data sharing agreement. Requests can be sent via email to the corresponding author. Approved researchers will receive access to the de-identified data through a secure transfer method.
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| Open-monitoring meditation | Behavioral | This is a type of mindfulenss meditation, which instructs participants to stay aware of their vision with a sitting and rest posture. |
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| Audio-listening control | Behavioral | Participants listen to stories about creativity with a sitting and rest posture. |
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| Metacognition | Cognitive Self-Consciousness (CSC), a subscale of the Metacognition Questionnaire (MCQ), will be used to assess participants' tendency to monitor and reflect upon their own thinking processes. The subscale includes 6 items. Participants rate statements such as "I am constantly aware of the way my mind works" on a 4-point scale (1 = do not agree, 5 = agree very much). The score range is 6 to 30. | At Day1 (before 5-day practice), Day7 (after 5-day practice), and follow-up (1 month after 5-day practice). |
| Attention | Sustained attention will be measured using the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART). The SART is a computerized test for the measurement of sustained attention and response inhibition. Participants' performance will be evaluated by the time of response and the correct rate. | Assessments at Day1 (before 5-day practice), Day7 (after 5-day practice). |
| Depression | Depression will be assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The PHQ-9 is a 4-point scale (0 = Not at all, 3 = Nearly every day) with 9 items. The score range is 0 to 27. | Assessments at Day1 (before 5-day practice), Day7 (after 5-day practice), and follow-up (1 month after 5-day practice). |
| Anxiety | Anxiety will be measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scle (GAD-7). It is a 4-point scale (0 = Not at all, 3 = Nearly every day) with 7 items. The score range is 0 to 21. | Pre- and post- assessments after a 15-min training at Day1 (before 5-day practice), Day7 (after 5-day practice), and follow-up (1 month after 5-day practice). |